The Role Of Religion In The Great Awakening

The Great Awakening
One of the fundamental beliefs of America is freedom of religion which is embedded in the culture today. The Europeans, from different religious backgrounds, came to the new world in search of a new home. During the sixteenth century, the colonies dominated by certain denominations barely tolerated other faiths. Reverend George Whitefield came to America in 1600, he believed in the concept of rebirth, which is the revival of the soul. Rebirth was a new radical approach that involved the transformation of the soul by the holy spirit.
Religion set the standard for future rebellion against authority, through individualism. The concept of rebirth that Reverend George Whitefield preached resonated with many people in the colonies

because the way he preached was new and exciting to the masses. He created dramatic scenes that captivated the audience, and he spoke directly from the heart. Although the Puritan and Anglican Church rejected his message, because they considered different religions a threat to the unity, Reverend George Whitefield continued to preach to the people. He taught that the experience of rebirth was a personal connection with God that did not need to be mediated by the church officials.
The notion of religious tolerance had arrived based on individual freedom of choosing the church that they wanted. The abundance of the different options forced officials to welcome diversity. The idea of inward change and purification of the heart directly contradicted the established church, because they believed in a hierarchy of superiors and inferiors that was used to build order. People questioned the authority of their former ministers and demanded that he had a rebirth experience. This realization that the people had power and could control the law gave them a sense of liberty and freedom.