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George Whitefield (pronounced /ˈʍɪtfiːld/) (December 16, 1714 - September 30, 1770), was a preacher in the Church of England and one of the leaders of the Methodist movement. Gloucester (ˈɡlɒstɚ) is a city, district and County town of Gloucestershire in the South West region of England. Newburyport is a small coastal city in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States, 38 miles (61 km northeast of Boston. Events 755 - An Lushan revolts against Chancellor Yang Guozhong at Fanyang, initiating the An Shi Rebellion Year 1714 ( MDCCXIV) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Events 1399 - Henry IV is proclaimed King of England. 1744 - France and Spain defeat the Year 1770 ( MDCCLXX) was a Common year starting on Monday (see link for calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year starting on Friday The Church of England is the officially established Christian church in England, the Mother Church of the worldwide Anglican Methodism is a movement within Protestant Christianity represented by a number of denominations and organizations
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Early life
He was born at the Bell Inn, Southgate Street, Gloucester, England. Gloucester (ˈɡlɒstɚ) is a city, district and County town of Gloucestershire in the South West region of England. England is a Country which is part of the United Kingdom. Its inhabitants account for more than 83% of the total UK population whilst its mainland In contemporary accounts, he, not John Wesley, is spoken of as the supreme figure and even as the founder of Methodism. John Wesley (ˈwɛslɪ ( – March 2, 1791) was an Anglican cleric and Christian theologian who was the founder of the (Evangelical Methodism is a movement within Protestant Christianity represented by a number of denominations and organizations He was famous for his preaching in America which was a significant part of an 18th century movement of Christian revivals, sometimes called "The Great Awakening. A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, a monotheistic Religion centered on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth Revival in a Christian context generally refers to a specific period of spiritual renewal in the life of the Church The Great Awakenings refer to several periods of rapid and dramatic Religious revival in Anglo-American religious history generally recognized as beginning in the 1730s "
George Whitefield was the son of a widow who kept an inn at Gloucester. Gloucester (ˈɡlɒstɚ) is a city, district and County town of Gloucestershire in the South West region of England. At an early age, he found that he had a passion and talent for acting and the theatre, a passion that he would carry on through the very theatrical re-enactments of Bible stories that he told during his sermons. He was educated at the Crypt School, Gloucester, and Pembroke College, Oxford. The Crypt School is a grammar school for boys with a mixed Sixth Form located in the city of Gloucester, England, founded in 1539 by John Pembroke College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England, located in Pembroke Square. Because Whitefield came from a poor background, he did not have the means to pay for his tuition. He therefore entered Oxford as a servitor, the lowest rank of students at Oxford. In return for free tuition, he was assigned as a servant to a number of higher ranked students. His duties would include waking them in the morning, polishing their shoes, carrying their books and even doing their coursework (see Dallimore). He was a part of the 'Holy Club' at Oxford University with the Wesley brothers, John and Charles. The University of Oxford (informally "Oxford University" or simply "Oxford" located in the city of Oxford, Oxfordshire, England is the John Wesley (ˈwɛslɪ ( – March 2, 1791) was an Anglican cleric and Christian theologian who was the founder of the (Evangelical Biography Charles Wesley was the son of Susanna Wesley and Samuel Wesley. After reading Henry Scougal's The Life of God in the Soul of Man he became very religious. Henry Scougal (1650-1678 was a British theologian, minister and author Following a religious conversion, he became very passionate for preaching his newfound faith. Religious conversion is the adoption of a new religious identity or a change from one religious identity to another The Bishop of Gloucester ordained him before the canonical age. Canonical age is in Roman Catholic canon law, the age at which a Catholic becomes capable of incurring certain obligations enjoying special privileges embracing special states
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Travels and evangelism
Whitefield preached his first sermon in the Crypt Church in his home town of Gloucester. Methodism is a movement within Protestant Christianity represented by a number of denominations and organizations John Wesley (ˈwɛslɪ ( – March 2, 1791) was an Anglican cleric and Christian theologian who was the founder of the (Evangelical Christianity ( Greek Χριστιανισμός from the word Xριστός ( Christ)is a monotheistic Religion centered on the life and teachings Protestantism refers to the forms of Christian faith and practice that originated in the 16th century Protestant Reformation. Pietism was a movement within Lutheranism, lasting from the late 17th century to the mid-18th century and later Anglicanism is a tradition of Christian faith Churches in this tradition either have historical connections to the Church of England or have similar beliefs Arminianism is a school of soteriological thought within Protestant Christianity based on the theological ideas of the Dutch Wesleyanism or Wesleyan Theology is the system of Christian theology of Methodism taught by John Wesley. Calvinism (sometimes called the Reformed tradition, the Reformed faith, or Reformed theology) is a theological system and an approach to the The Articles of Religion are an official doctrinal statement of American Methodism. Prevenient grace is a Christian theological concept rooted in Augustinian theology and embraced primarily by Arminian Christians who are influenced by the The governmental view of the Atonement (also known as the moral government theory) is a doctrine in Christian theology concerning the meaning and effect Imparted righteousness, in Methodist Theology, is that gracious gift of God given at the moment of the new birth which enables a Christian Christian Perfection is a Christian doctrine which maintains that after conversion but before death a Christian's soul may be cleansed from the stain of Original sin Richard Allen ( February 14 1760 - March 26 1831) was an African American pastor and the founder of the African Methodist Episcopal Francis Asbury ( August 20 1745 &ndash March 31 1816) was one of the first two bishops of the Methodist Episcopal Church in the Thomas Coke ( September 9, 1747 &ndash May 2, 1814) was the first Methodist Bishop and is known as the Father of Methodist Missions Albert Cook Outler ( November 17, 1908 &ndash September 1, 1989) was a 20th century American James Varick was the first Bishop of the African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church. Biography Charles Wesley was the son of Susanna Wesley and Samuel Wesley. The World Methodist Council, founded in 1881, is an association of churches in the Methodist tradition which comprises most of the world's Wesleyan denominations The United Methodist Church is the largest Methodist denomination and the second largest Protestant denomination in the United States. The African Methodist Episcopal Church, usually called the " AME Church " is a Christian denomination founded by Bishop Richard Allen in Philadelphia The African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church, or AME Zion Church, was officially formed in 1821 but operated for a number years before then The Church of the Nazarene, often referred to as the Nazarene Church is an International evangelical Christian denomination that began in The Methodist Church of Great Britain or British Methodist Church is the largest Wesleyan / Methodist body in the United Kingdom, with congregations The Christian Methodist Epsicopal Church is a historically black denomination within the broader context of Methodism. The Uniting Church in Australia ( UCA) was formed on June 22 1977 when many congregations of the Methodist Church of Australasia, This page is about the Moravian Church globally For information about the church in a particular geographic area use the links at Organisation below The Holiness movement in Christianity is composed of people who believe and propagate the belief that the carnal nature of humanity can be cleansed through Faith The Salvation Army is a Christian charity and church that is internally organised like a military service. Personalism is the school of thought that consists of three main principles and which can broadly be qualified as species of Humanism: Only persons are real (in Pentecostalism is a renewalist religious movement within Christianity that places special emphasis on the direct personal experience of God through the Baptism In 1738, he went to America, becoming parish priest of Savannah, Georgia. Year 1738 ( MDCCXXXVIII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or Savannah is a city located in the state of Georgia, United States. Returning home in the following year, he resumed his evangelistic activities, with open-air homilies when other denominations' churches refused to admit him. Open air preaching or street preaching is the act of publicly proclaiming a religious message to crowds of people in open places
He parted company with Wesley over the doctrine of predestination; Whitefield was a follower of Calvin in this respect. Predestination (also linked with Foreknowledge) is a religious concept which involves the relationship between God and His creation John Calvin (or Jean Calvin) (10 July 1509 – 27 May 1564 was a French Protestant theologian during the Protestant Reformation and Three churches were established in England in his name: one in Bristol and two others, the "Moorfields Tabernacle" and the "Tottenham Court Road Chapel", in London. Whitefield's Tabernacle, a church in Penn Street Bristol, opened in 1753 for the followers of George Whitefield. Whitefield's Tabernacle Moorfields, a church at the corner of Tabernacle Street and Leonard Street London, England originally a wooden building built by followers Whitefield's Tabernacle Tottenham Court Road, a church in London, England also called Tottenham Court Road Chapel, was built in 1756 for London ( ˈlʌndən is the capital and largest urban area in the United Kingdom. Later the society meeting at the second Kingswood School at Kingswood, a town on the eastern edge of Bristol, was also called Whitefield's Tabernacle. Kingswood School is a Coeducational, public day and boarding school in Bath, Somerset, England. Whitefield's Tabernacle ( is a Congregational church (now United Reformed) in Kingswood, a town on the eastern edge of Bristol where George Whitefield Whitefield acted as chaplain to Selina, Countess of Huntingdon and some of his followers joined the Countess of Huntingdon's Connexion, whose chapels were paid for at her sole expense and where a form of Calvinistic Methodism similar to Whitefield's could be spread. Selina Countess of Huntingdon ( August 24, 1707 &ndash June 17, 1791) was an English religious leader who played a prominent The Countess of Huntingdon's Connexion is a small society of evangelical churches founded in 1783 by Selina Hastings as a result of the Evangelical Many of these chapels were built in the English counties and Wales, and one was erected in London – the Spa Fields Chapel.
In 1738 Whitefield preached a series of revivals in Georgia. The State of Georgia ( is a state in the United States and was one of the original Thirteen Colonies that revolted against British rule Here he established the Bethesda Orphanage, which still exists to this day. The Bethesda Orphanage was founded by evangelist George Whitefield in the eighteenth century on a 500 Acre (1600 m² land grant about south of Savannah Georgia In Georgia there was originally a prohibition on slavery, but in 1749 there was a movement to introduce it there, which Whitefield supported. As a social-economic system slavery is a legal institution under which a Person (called "a slave" is compelled to work for another He owned slaves who worked at the orphanage, and these were bequeathed to the Countess of Huntingdon when he died. Selina Countess of Huntingdon ( August 24, 1707 &ndash June 17, 1791) was an English religious leader who played a prominent When he returned to America in November 1739 he preached nearly every day for months to large crowds of sometimes several thousand people as he travelled throughout the colonies, especially New England. History See also History of New England New England's earliest inhabitants were Algonquian -speaking Native Americans including the
Like his contemporary and acquaintance, Jonathan Edwards, Whitefield preached with a staunchly Calvinist theology (Reisinger) that was in line with the "moderate Calvinism" of the Thirty-nine Articles (Works, 3:383). This article is about the theologian (b 1703 for other uses of Jonathan Edwards see Jonathan Edwards. Calvinism (sometimes called the Reformed tradition, the Reformed faith, or Reformed theology) is a theological system and an approach to the In Politics and Religion, a moderate is an individual who holds an intermediate position between two viewpoints neither to be extreme or radical by those applying The Thirty-Nine Articles of Religion were established in 1563 and are the historic defining statements of Anglican doctrine in relation to the controversies of the While explicitly affirming God’s sole agency in salvation, Whitefield would freely offer the Gospel, saying near the end of most of his published sermons something like: "Come poor, lost, undone sinner, come just as you are to Christ" (Borman, 73). God is the principal or sole Deity in Religions and other belief systems that worship one deity. The free offer of the Gospel refers to the offer of salvation in Jesus Christ to all people Sin is a term used mainly in a religious context to describe an act that violates a moral Rule, or the state of having committed such a violation Christ is the English term for the Greek ( Khristós) meaning "the anointed "
Revival meetings
He first took to preaching in the open air on Hanham Mount, Kingswood, in southeast Bristol. Bristol ( ˈbrɪstəl is a city, Unitary authority and ceremonial county in South West England, west of London A crowd of 20,000 people gathered to hear him. Even larger crowds - Whitefield himself estimated 30,000 - met him in Cambuslang in 1742. The Cambuslang Work or ‘ Wark ’ in the Scots language, (February to November 1742 was a period of extraordinary religious activity in Cambuslang,
Benjamin Franklin once attended a revival meeting in Philadelphia and was greatly impressed with Whitefield's ability to deliver a message to such a large audience. Benjamin Franklin ( April 17 1790 was one of the Founding Fathers of the United States of America. Philadelphia (ˌfɪləˈdɛlfiə Franklin had dismissed reports of Whitefield preaching to crowds of the order of tens of thousands in England as exaggeration. When listening to Whitefield preaching from the Philadelphia court house, Franklin walked away towards his shop in Market Street until he could no longer hear Whitefield distinctly. He then estimated his distance from Whitefield and calculated the area of a semi-circle centred on Whitefield. Allowing two square feet per person he realized that Whitefield really could be heard by tens of thousands of people in the open air. He then became Whitefield's publisher and friend, though he never shared Whitefield's beliefs. Whitefield was also known to be able to use the newspaper media for beneficial publicity.
Whitefield's legacy is still felt in America, where he is remembered as one of the first to preach to the enslaved. Slavery in the United States began soon after English colonists first settled Virginia in 1607 and lasted until the passage of the Thirteenth Phillis Wheatley wrote a poem in his memory after he died. Phillis Wheatley (1753 – December 5, 1784) was the first published African American poet whose writings helped create the genre of African American The First Presbyterian Church of Newburyport, Massachusetts was built for the evangelist's use, and before dying, Whitefield requested to be buried under the pulpit of this church, where his tomb remains to this day. Newburyport is a small coastal city in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States, 38 miles (61 km northeast of Boston. In an age when crossing the Atlantic Ocean was a long and hazardous adventure, he visited America seven times, making 13 trans-Atlantic crossings in total. It is estimated that throughout his life, he preached more than 18,000 formal sermons of which 78 have been published[1] (a further 20 to 30 remain unreprinted). [2] In addition to his work in America and England, he made 15 journeys to Scotland, (most famously to the "Preaching Braes" of Cambuslang in 1742), two to Ireland, and one each to Bermuda, Gibraltar, and The Netherlands. Scotland ( Gaelic: Alba) is a Country in northwest Europethat occupies the northern third of the island of Great Britain. Cambuslang ( Scottish Gaelic: Camas Long from camas - river bend long - ship is a suburban town on the south-eastern outskirts Ireland (pronounced /ˈaɾlənd/ Éire) is the third largest island in Europe, and the twentieth-largest island in the world Ba (officially The Bermuda Islands or The Somers Isles) is a British overseas territory in the North Atlantic Ocean. Gibraltar (dʒɨˈbrɒltər is a British overseas territory located near the southernmost tip of the Iberian Peninsula overlooking the Strait of Gibraltar The Netherlands ( Dutch:, ˈnedərlɑnt is the European part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, which consists of the Netherlands the Netherlands He is considered to be one of the fathers of Evangelicalism. Evangelicalism is a theological movement tradition and system of beliefs most closely associated with Protestant Christianity, which identifies with the Gospel He was the best-known preacher in England and America in the 18th century, and because he travelled through all of the American colonies and drew great crowds and media coverage, he was one of the most widely recognized public figures in America before George Washington. George Washington (February 22 1732 December 14 1799 served as the first President of the United States of America (1789&ndash1797 and led the
He died in the parsonage of Old South Presbyterian Church (which he helped to found), Newburyport, Massachusetts on September 30, 1770. Newburyport is a small coastal city in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States, 38 miles (61 km northeast of Boston. Events 1399 - Henry IV is proclaimed King of England. 1744 - France and Spain defeat the Year 1770 ( MDCCLXX) was a Common year starting on Monday (see link for calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year starting on Friday
References
- Armstrong, John H. Five Great Evangelists. Christian Focus Publications, Ross-shire, G. B. , 1997.
- Arnold A. Dallimore, George Whitefield: The Life and Times of the Great Evangelist of the Eighteenth-Century Revival. Banner of Truth Trust, Edinburgh and Carlisle, Pennsylvania, 1970-1980. The Banner of Truth Trust is an evangelical and Reformed Christian publishing house founded in London in 1957 by Iain Murray
- Bormann, Ernest G. Force of Fantasy: Restoring the American Dream. Carbondale: Southern Illinois University Press, 1985.
- Lambert, Frank. "Pedlar in divinity": George Whitefield and the Transatlantic Revivals, 1737-1770. Princeton, N. J. : Princeton University Press, 1993. ISBN 0-69103-296-3
- Mahaffey, Jerome. Preaching Politics: The Religious Rhetoric of George Whitefield and the Founding of a New Nation. Baylor University Press, 2007. ISBN 978-1-932792-88-1
- Mansfield, Stephen. Forgotten Founding Father: The Heroic Legacy of George Whitefield. Nashville, TN: Cumberland House, 2001. ISBN 1-58182-165-4
- Tyerman, Luke, The Life of the Reverend George Whitefield. Azle, TX: Need of the Times Publishers, 1995. ISBN 0-9647552-0-3
- Reisinger, Ernest. "What Should We Think Of Evangelism and Calvinism?", The Founder's Journal, Issue 19/20, Winter/Spring 1995.
- Stout, Harry S. The Divine Dramatist: George Whitefield and the Rise of Modern Evangelicalism. Eerdmans, Grand Rapids, 1991.
- Whitefield, George, "Journals". London: The Banner of Truth Trust, 1960. ISBN 0-85151-147-3
- Whitefield, George, "Works" on CD-ROM, Weston Rhyn: Quinta Press, 2000. ISBN 1-897856-09-1
External links
- 59 Sermons by George Whitefield at the 'Asia-Pacific Institute of Biblical Studies (APIBS)' "103 Classic Seremons - Library"
- Sermons by Whitefield at Monergism. com
- 38 Sermons by Whitefield at the 'Reformed Sermon' Archive
- The George Whitefield Homepage - links to articles about, 59 sermons by Whitefield and Resources, etc.
- The Essential George Whitefield - sermons by Whitefield, articles about him and a bibliography
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