In this Book
- Darkness Falls on the Land of Light: Experiencing Religious Awakenings in Eighteenth-Century New England
- Book
- 2017
- Published by: The University of North Carolina Press
- Series: Published for the Omohundro Institute of Early American History and Culture, Williamsburg, Virginia
summary
This sweeping history of popular religion in eighteenth-century New England examines the experiences of ordinary people living through extraordinary times. Drawing on an unprecedented quantity of letters, diaries, and testimonies, Douglas Winiarski recovers the pervasive and vigorous lay piety of the early eighteenth century. George Whitefield's preaching tour of 1740 called into question the fundamental assumptions of this thriving religious culture. Incited by Whitefield and fascinated by miraculous gifts of the Holy Spirit--visions, bodily fits, and sudden conversions--countless New Englanders broke ranks with family, neighbors, and ministers who dismissed their religious experiences as delusive enthusiasm. These new converts, the progenitors of today's evangelical movement, bitterly assaulted the Congregational establishment.
The 1740s and 1750s were the dark night of the New England soul, as men and women groped toward a restructured religious order. Conflict transformed inclusive parishes into exclusive networks of combative spiritual seekers. Then as now, evangelicalism emboldened ordinary people to question traditional authorities. Their challenge shattered whole communities.
The 1740s and 1750s were the dark night of the New England soul, as men and women groped toward a restructured religious order. Conflict transformed inclusive parishes into exclusive networks of combative spiritual seekers. Then as now, evangelicalism emboldened ordinary people to question traditional authorities. Their challenge shattered whole communities.
Table of Contents
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- Acknowledgments
- pp. vii-x
- List of Illustrations
- pp. xiii-xvi
- List of Abbreviations
- pp. xvii-xx
- Note on Sources and Place Names
- pp. xxi-xxii
- Introduction
- pp. 1-22
- Part One: Godly Walkers
- pp. 23-29
- The Loud Calls of Divine Providence
- pp. 53-76
- I Was Born in a Land of Light
- pp. 76-115
- Part Two: In a Flame
- pp. 131-137
- They Build upon a Sandy Foundation
- pp. 137-156
- An Extraordinary Work on Foot in the Land
- pp. 156-174
- New Converts
- pp. 175-194
- To Write So Freely of Your Own Experiences
- pp. 194-206
- Peirced by the Word
- pp. 214-230
- I Think I Have the Spirit of God
- pp. 230-247
- His Name Was in the Book of Life
- pp. 248-266
- Part Four: Pentecost and Protest
- pp. 285-292
- The Lord Opened My Mouth
- pp. 292-310
- They Can Hardly Be Neighbourly or Peaceable
- pp. 310-333
- Let Him Stand Up in the Day of Pentecost
- pp. 352-364
- Part Five: Travels
- pp. 365-374
- Out of the Fold
- pp. 374-404
- Holier Than Thou
- pp. 404-434
- Would Not Convert a Rat
- pp. 434-456
- Tohu and Bohu
- pp. 456-485
- Nothingarians
- pp. 485-506
Additional Information
ISBN
9781469628288
Related ISBN(s)
9781469628264, 9781469628271, 9781469652276, 9798890883704
MARC Record
OCLC
972307192
Pages
632
Launched on MUSE
2017-02-14
Language
English
Open Access
No