American Christianity Democratized

While new religious ideas fanned out and denominations proliferated, social activism, in response, also began to escalate. The Second Great Awakening stirred the initiation of

Since before the United States was founded, the ideals of Christianity have been integrated into the government in some way, shape, or form. In the early days of the Colonies, Christianity was the centerfold for all government affairs; however, after the constitution was ratified and deemed effective in the United States, the First Amendment was born. The first amendment states that, “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances” (source). In the early life of the United States, the

Between the years 1825 and 1850, the US underwent a series of social and political reforms which attempted to democratize American life. Reform movements during this period of Jacksonian Democracy attempted to dissolve disunity in the social ladder and pushed for equal rights among all citizens. Stemming from the Second Great Awakening in the early 19th century, many of these reforms were backed by religious ideals over democratic principles. At the forefront of the cause, however, was the hope for a more democratic system in which there was not only popular sovereignty, but a sense of social leveling.

A restructuring of religious doctrine, beliefs, and social practices during the 17th and 18th centuries in England, and in North America, infused with Calvinistic religious doctrine initiated the beginning of The Great Awakening. 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 reaffirming 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. After a while, several religious revivals sprung forth appeasing the colonists in America desire for a deep and significant personal relationship with God. Thus, this dogma spread to other denominations throughout the colonies in America (Heyrman).” As a result, The Great Awakening spread throughout the middle colonies in America by notable revivalist preachers instituting moderate Calvinistic doctrinal theology especially for the Presbyterians and the Congregationalists, and opened the door to unprecedented world societal changes.

The First Great Awakening spread throughout the 13 colonies as an emotional religious revival movement from 1720s to 1740s that appeared due to the increase of secularism and rationalism religion in which evangelist had challenged established denominations and pushed towards a more personal relationship with God (3 + 12).The Second Great Awakening was a religious revival movement from in the 19th century, which called for an individualized relationship between the people and God, promoting it through Baptist and Methodist beliefs, which held a more egalitarian attitude in the case of everyone being able to achieve salvation. The First Great Awakening and Second Great Awakening both transformed religious ideology by introducing individualism, a belief where men have a closer and direct relationship with God. The First and Second Great Awakenings had a transformation in their methods of worship with a change in venue, with the First Great Awakening having people preach to the masses on the street corners outside; while in the Second Great Awakening, having revivals and camp meetings with people screaming and jumping, a change from the traditional, to a wholly new method of worship.

The large religious movement made people question their original faith, values, and ideals. The movement led to more liberal thinkers as opposed to conservative. The movement gave colonists the ability and confidence to challenge the older clergy members, sparking the religious and governmental rebellion of the Separation of Church and State. Due to the new thoughts and ideas, multiple different churches and denominations were created. These served as competition for the established church, taking power away from it. As the established churches lost power, it left room for the new thinkers to challenge their ideas. The Great Awakening led to the founding of new light centers, which encouraged people to meet together and challenge conservative beliefs. Finally, the Great Awakening served as the first movement of its kind and size in American history. The movement united men across the colonies, creating a sense of togetherness and power. By undermining conservative leaders and ideals along with by giving power and unity to liberal colonists, the Great Awakening set the stage for the Separation of Church and State in

The 2nd Great Awakening occurred within the 1800-1840’s and it helped revive the idea of religious ideas. During the 2nd Great Awakening, many were beginning to participate in public meeting. This helped with the formation of the reform movements because the reform movements were social movements that showed how many people decided to get involved for their own benefit, and took matters into their own hands for example, all the movements that began, which shows democracy because democracy is power to the people. Reform movement in the United States sought to expand democratic ideals such as equality, organizing and petitioning a cause, and religious

The second great awakening was the emergence of new religious branches. There were three main branches that influences the Unites States as it grew and was still trying to rid of the English ways. these three branches were named Baptist, Methodist, and Presbyterian. All three of these branches grew quickly in popularity. The most popular however was the Presbyterian church. All of these shares the same core belief but held different values and reasons for existence. The presbyterian church is part of what I feel helped push the western expiation to continue further. This is due to the one message they wanted to convey to others, " Salvation is available not just to a select few, as the Calvinist Puritans have claimed, but to anyone who repents and embraces Christ". Other religious view were adopted in this time that caused the population to see the world in a new light and gain more spiritual growth.

During the Second Great Awakening from 1825-1850, people in the United States came to aspire for a more democratic country. There were several reform movements throughout the awakening that sought to expand democratic ideals. Reform was attempted in several different areas of American life. Attempts to improve and refine women's’ rights, abolitionism, education, religion, immigration, and utopianism in the United States were made.

The Second Great Awakening gave birth to a whole new set of religions and increased the membership in many Protestant based religions. The Second Great Awakening turned the U.S into a religious country. These religions, like Baptists and Methodists, created the idea of a perfect Community

The preferred belief of many of America’s framers, Deism is predominantly hostile to organized churches and saw a decrease in the amount of followers - because Christianity became predominant in American society. Led by established religious leaders alarmed by low church attendance, the Second Great Awakening began around 1790 and gained momentum in

Between 1790 and 1840 several Americans were searching for restoration, a new start, not only religiously but communally, and while some found their light others were hopelessly lost in darkness awaiting their savior, and that is why this era is appropriately named The Second Great Awakening. While the movement is described as a reaction, or backlash, against religion, skeptics, and philosophy to some, others believed that the Awakening declared a new age. Some say the Second Great Awakening progressed the basic concepts of many reform movements designed to remedy the sins of the nation before the foreseen second coming of Christ. The Kingdom of Matthias by Paul E. Johnson and Sean Wilentz demonstrates

The First Great Awakening, was a religious revitalization movement that came through the Atlantic region, and even more so in the American colonies in the 1730s and 1740s, forever impacting American religion & is widely known as the most important event for American religion during the eighteenth century. The First Great Awakening was inspired by an English Methodist known as George Whitefield along with other ministers, when many people in the rural areas rejected the Enlighted and rational religion that came from the Cosmopolitan pulpits and port cities. George Whitefield began this movement with speaking tours through the colonies (“The Great Awakening”).

Social categories are defined and maintained to establish a social hierarchy, and one of these social categories is religion (Adam, 2013). Thus, the dominance of one religious group over another creates a hegemony, which is defined as “unconscious reproduction of dominant group norms, values, beliefs, [and] cultural forms carried on as part of everyday life” (Adams & Joshi, 2013, p. 230). In the United States, Protestant Christianity is the dominant religion, and this dominance of Christianity creates Christian hegemony, which is “society’s unacknowledged adherence to a dominant religious worldview that…publicly affirms Christian observances” (2013, p. 230). This Christian hegemony also leads to Christian privilege in society (2013). Thus,

The evolution of Christianity has been a process that has taken thousands of years. Wars, laws, and councils are all been results of this process. When one thinks of the evolution of Christianity, politics typically do not come to mind. Surprisingly politics have had a large impact on the evolution of Christianity. In some cases, the impact is so big, it determined the survival of Christianity. Politics influenced Christian society when Pontius Pilate falsely accused Jesus of treason, Emperor Constantine made Christianity legal in the Roman Empire, and the Council of Chalcedon confirmed Jesus was God.