But the decline of religious participation is not unknown in American history. In fact, similar trends existed 300 years ago as “religion was becoming more formal and less personal during this time, which led to lower church attendance,” according to History, adding, “Christians were feeling complacent with their methods of worship, and some were disillusioned with how wealth and rationalism were dominating culture.”
Yet colonists “crave[d] a return to religious piety,” History states. It was at this time America experienced what has become known as ‘The Great Awakening,’ a spiritual revival that lasted from the 1730s into the 1740s. This is the story of how a Connecticut man, Jonathan Edwards, became one of the movement’s most influential preachers.
Read Full Article »