How Did The Great Awakening Contribute To Religion

Though born in Ireland, Gilbert Tennent and his family migrated from the region in Ulster to America. Tennent’s father, William founded the first American Presbyterian theological seminary on the Pennsylvania frontier known as “The Log College” because of its construction. Formerly educated by his father, Tennent later attended the Log College and eventually became an ordained minister in New Brunswick in 1726. Although imitative of fellow evangelist Whitfield, and his spiritual mentor Theodorus Jacobus Frelinghuysen; a Dutch Reformed clergyman, noted exhorter, and the revivalist who initiated the Great Awakening in America's Middle colonies, Tennent’s life and theology reflected his Ulster Scot heritage and the New England Puritans. With

unequalled fervor, Tennent traveled all over New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania with English evangelist, George Whitfield preaching during the Great Awakening. In addition, Tennent’s importance to the Great Awakening is acknowledged by E. B, Holifield, in American Theology, citing two of Tennent’s influential revival stances; real theology provides the knowing of God for the purpose of salvation and conviction is prior to conversion. Likewise, quotes Archibald Alexander in Sketches, indeed, all must acknowledge, that among the friends and promoters of the revival, Tennent stands pre-eminent. However, Tennent’s influential viewpoint about unconverted clergy, conversion, and church membership as a qualification for participation in Communion triggered a division among Presbyterians.
First and foremost, The Great Awakening signified a restructuring of the religious doctrine, beliefs, and practices during the 17th and 18th centuries in England, and in North America and propelling “moderate” Calvinistic religious doctrine to the forefront.

Following this further, according to Christine Leigh Heyrman, The First Great Awakening: Divining America, a New Age of faith rose to counter the currents of the Age of Enlightenment. Ultimately, the view that being truly religious meant trusting the heart rather than the head, prizing feeling more than thinking, and relying on biblical revelation rather than human reason. The Great Awakening appeased the colonists in America desire for a deep and significant personal relationship with God. As a result, several religious revivals by prominent preachers sprung forth. Granted, even though they may not have agreed on all other ecclesiastical doctrine, the collective rationale among notable revivalist preachers embraced the doctrine of a personal spiritual conversion experience, especially by clergy that minister. Thus, the battle line of discontent emerged between Tennent and the middle colonies

Presbyterians.
For this reason, identifying Tennent and the Presbyterians role in the Great Awakening is essential:
In detail, the earliest manifestations of the American phase of this phenomenon, the beginnings of the First Great Awakening appeared among Presbyterians in Pennsylvania and New Jersey. Led by the Tennent family, Reverend William Tennent, a Scots-Irish immigrant, and his four sons, all clergymen. The Presbyterians not only initiated religious revivals in those colonies during the 1730’s, but also established a seminary to train clergymen whose fervid, heartfelt preaching would bring sinners to experience evangelical conversion. Their seminary originally known as “the Log College”, is better known today as Princeton University. Religious enthusiasm quickly spread from the Presbyterians of the Middle Colonies to the Congregationalists (Puritans) and Baptists of New England. By the 1740s, the clergymen of these churches were conducting revivals throughout that region, using the same strategy that had contributed to the success of the Tennent’s. Presbyterian preachers from New York and New Jersey began preaching in the Virginia Piedmont.
Therefore, the Presbyterians and Tennent’s convictions are synonymous with the Great Awakening.
In general, Tennent and other revivalist preachers suffered internal divisions over questions regarding theological legitimacy and ecclesiastical propriety during the Great Awakening.

Under the leadership of Gilbert Tennent, “New Side” Presbyterians labored to advance the Awakening, against the objections of “Old Side” traditionalists. Equally important, the matter of the validity of the Presbyterian clergy’s conversions appeared, thus challenging their qualifications to minister to others. For instance, the Awakening questioned this assumption by asking how those clergy who denied the necessity of conversion could lead others to salvation since their very denial proved that they had not yet reached the key landmark of that journey themselves. So, Tennent publicly reprimanded them about their wickedness in preaching for their own glory, not from love and faith, and not for Gods’ glory. Tennent mercilessly reiterated the repercussions they would suffer and deserve from God in his famous sermon, The Danger of an Unconverted Ministry. For instance, all the doings of unconverted men not proceeding from the principles of faith, love, and a new nature, nor being directed to the divine glory as their highest end, but flowing from, and tending to, self as their principle and end, are, doubtless, damnably wicked in their manner of performance and deserve the wrath and curse of a sin avenging God, Neither can any other encouragement be justly given them but that, in the way of duty,

there is a peradventure of probability or obtaining mercy. Lastly, a cutting warning ended the sermon, I shall conclude with the Words of the Apostle Paul, (2 Cor. 11. 14, 15) And no Marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an Angel of Light: Therefore it is no great Thing if his Ministers also be transformed as the Ministers of Righteousness; whose End shall be according to their Works. This sermon divided the Presbyterian denomination.
Following the necessity of conversion further, Tennent views on conversion as the qualifier for participation in the Lord's Supper and church membership mirrored Whitfield, Edwards, and other evangelists, For example, Jonathan Edwards believed the covenant of the church was between God and mankind, and was the requirement before partaking in the Lord’s Supper and baptizing children, instead of an added amenity for being a member of the church. Specifically, An Humble Inquiry: XI, references (I Corinthians 11:28) “Everyone ought to examine themselves before they eat of the bread and drink from the cup. Likewise, as a warning to his parishioners, Tennent exclaimed, the manner of one's religious performance makes it either pleasing or displeasing to God. This turns the scales, and two acts of piety which seem to be the same, many times are not because the manner of the performance makes a vast difference in the values. Also, Tennent rejected the idea that church membership was a matter of form, family connection, or intellectual assent. Nevertheless, the division between the Presbyterians on unconverted clergy did not hamper the diligence Tennent exuded concerning his commitment to the Great Awakening among the colonies.