Transcript Age of Reason and Revival II

Age of Reason and Revival
II
Edwards, Whitfield, Wesley and
Awakening
Jonathan Edwards
• Born in 1703 to Timothy Edwards and Esther
Stoddard their only son and 5th of 11 children
• Grew up somewhat sheltered and was much
fascinated with nature, especially spiders
• Learned Latin by age 6, and had a command
of the “three learned languages” by 13
• 1716 at 13 years old he entered Yale College
• Graduated in 1720, but stayed until 1722 to
study divinity
• Taught in New York then became tutor at Yale
Jonathan Edwards
• 1727 became assistant pastor in Northampton
under his grandfather Solomon Stoddard
• Married Sarah Pierrepont, a model wife, mother
and housekeeper. Started having the first of their
12 children
• During his youth and schooling Edwards was a
very prolific writer and influenced by Locke
• 1729 became head pastor diligently studying
(13-15 hours a day) and leading
• 1735(39)-41 the First Great Awakening broke out
in his Church, He preached against abuse but
fully acknowledged “Religious Affections”
Jonathan Edwards
• 1749 Published a memoir of David
Brainerd his Son-in-law to be who had
died from Tuberculosis
• Edwards disputed over communion being
given to nominal/non Christians
• Criticized the sons of leading members of
the community
• 1750 He was dismissed from his pastorate
• He left with dignity, but expressed his
dislike for Congregationalist church
government preferring Presbyterianism
Jonathan Edwards
• Edwards became a missionary to the
Native Americans in the frontier town of
Stockbridge
• While struggling against a corrupt
missions board Edwards wrote his more
famous books
• 1758 became President of the College of
New Jersey aka Princeton
• After becoming president he was
inoculated against smallpox, then
rampant, and died
George Whitefield
• Born 1714 to Thomas and Elizabeth at the Bell
Inn in Gloucester, England
• He was educated in the Crypt School until 15
when he dropped out to help his mother
• He got measles that left him squint eyed
• Worked at the Bell Inn for a year and a half
before completing school and going to Oxford
• While at Oxford he became religious, initially
ascetic, then later genuinely converted
• Along with John and Charles Wesley he founded
the Oxford “Holy Club”
George Whitefield
• 1735 he claimed to have been truly converted
• Asceticism left him weak so he returned
home
• He was noticed by Bishop Benson who
wanted to ordain him, he returned to Oxford,
became ordained at 22
• Preached his first sermon in Saint Mary de
Crypt
• Began teaching in various places and was
invited by the Wesley’s to come to Georgia
• In Georgia he helped with an orphanage and
other efforts before returning home
George Whitefield
• Upon return from Georgia he was ordained
a Priest in the Anglican church by Benson
• He had lost favor with much of the
England crowd and had an increasingly
hard time finding pulpits in which to
preach
• Preached in whatever pulpits were open to
him regardless of denomination, but most
were too small
• Turned to the “highways and hedges” to
“compel them to come in”
George Whitefield
• Began preaching to the colliers (coal
miners) in Kingswood, to increasingly
large crowds
• Traveled to London to preach, but was
kicked out of church so he turned to the
fields
• He began a long and massive itinerant
evangelistic career
• Traveled across the Atlantic 13 times
spending over two years on water
• Continued working with and building the
orphanage in Georgia
George Whitefield
• 1740 played a major role in the Great
Awakening in America
• Met and preached to Benjamin Franklin
• Split with John Wesley over the Calvinist
doctrine of predestination, becoming the
father of Calvinist Methodism
• Was beaten several times but proclaimed
“We are immortal ‘til our work is done”
• Married Elizabeth James who bore him
one son who died as an infant
George Whitefield
• He vastly changed the philosophy of
preaching and evangelism, emphasizing
charismatic and heartfelt sermons
• Had a very aggressive approach to
preaching
• Preached 13 sermons per week all
extemporaneously
• 1770 He died in Newbury Port leaving very
little behind
John Wesley
• Born 1703 in Epworth, England to Samuel
and Susanna
• Susanna was a strong influence on him and
took a firm hand in her children’s education
• At 6 years old he was saved from a fire “a
brand plucked from the burning”
• Studied in London at the Charterhouse
School then went to college in Oxford
• He was studious and did well with his
studies
• Unsure what to do with his life he looked for
direction before deciding on preaching
John Wesley
• 1726-1734 He founded the Holy Club at
Oxford trying to live a religious life
• 1734 His father died and he received a call
to go to Georgia
• Went to Georgia, did little and learned
much
• Along the way he became acquainted with
Moravian missionaries who challenged
him to know his salvation
• 1738 due to trouble in Georgia he returned
to England.
John Wesley
• He continued studying and like Luther “felt
his heart strangely warmed”
• Began preaching, but was increasingly
unwelcome in churches so turned to the
fields
• From here he embarked on 53 years of
itinerant preaching
• The social conditions of England at the
time were appalling, full of poverty and
immorality
• Wesley traveled over 250,000 miles on
horseback during his ministry
John Wesley
• As he traveled Wesley founded groups and
organizations which became the Methodist
Church
• He initially didn’t want to break with the
Anglican church, but had to, being
unwilling to reject inward and present
salvation by faith
• Broke with Whitefield in proclaiming his
Arminianist doctrine, though they made up
and remained friends.
• At 48 he unwisely married to a wife who
made him miserable for 15 years then left
John Wesley
• He rejected leisure and pursued the work
of God with all he had
• Was always up early usually at 4am and in
bed at 10pm
• Wesley died in bed at 88 years old. He
sang a hymn, encouraged his brothers,
and said “farewell”