George Whitefield

George Whitefield
source
Name	George Whitefield
Caption	Whitefield preaching in London
Birth date	27 December 1714
Birth place	Gloucester, Kingdom of Great Britain
Death date	30 September 1770
Death place	Newburyport, Massachusetts, British America
Religion	Christianity
Denomination	Anglicanism (Calvinistic Methodism)
Alma mater	Pembroke College, Oxford
Occupation	Evangelist, Preacher
Known for	Open-air preaching, First Great Awakening

George Whitefield. A prominent Anglican evangelist and one of the foundational figures of Methodism, George Whitefield was a central catalyst of the First Great Awakening in British America and a leader of the broader Evangelical Revival in Great Britain. Renowned for his powerful, emotive open-air preaching and immense vocal range, he crossed the Atlantic Ocean thirteen times, preaching to vast crowds from Georgia to New England. His innovative methods and ecumenical spirit left an indelible mark on Protestantism in the English-speaking world.

Early life and education

Born in Gloucester, Whitefield was the son of an innkeeper and attended the The Crypt School. After working as a waiter in his family's Bell Inn, he entered Pembroke College, Oxford as a servitor, a low-ranking student who earned his keep. At Oxford University, he joined the Holy Club, a pious group led by John Wesley and Charles Wesley, which emphasized rigorous devotion and methodical study, earning them the nickname "Methodists". His spiritual journey during this period was deeply influenced by reading Henry Scougal's *The Life of God in the Soul of Man* and experiencing a dramatic conversion. He was ordained a deacon in the Church of England in 1736 by Bishop of Gloucester Martin Benson.

Ministry and preaching

Whitefield's ministry began in earnest in London, but he quickly adopted the practice of open-air preaching after Anglican pulpits were closed to him due to his fervent style. He first preached to Kingswood colliers near Bristol in 1739, drawing thousands. His preaching tours took him throughout England, Scotland, and Wales, where he was a key figure in the Welsh Methodist revival. His transatlantic ministry commenced with his first voyage to the colony of Georgia, where he supported the Bethesda Orphanage. He developed a vast, intercolonial preaching circuit in America, delivering sermons in cities like Philadelphia, Boston, and Charleston.

Role in the Great Awakening

Whitefield was the primary unifying force of the First Great Awakening in the Thirteen Colonies. His 1739–1740 tour, promoted by publisher Benjamin Franklin in Pennsylvania, attracted unprecedented crowds, fostering a sense of shared religious experience across colonial boundaries. He preached alongside other revivalists like Jonathan Edwards in Northampton and Gilbert Tennent in the Middle Colonies. His tours ignited local revivals, contributed to the founding of new Congregational and Presbyterian churches, and intensified debates over experiential religion that divided denominations into "New Lights" and "Old Lights".

Theology and views

Whitefield was a staunch Calvinist, emphasizing doctrines like predestination and irresistible grace, which led to a significant theological rift with the Arminian John Wesley. This disagreement resulted in a public separation within the Methodist movement. His sermons focused intensely on the necessity of the New Birth and justification by faith. While fiercely evangelical, he was notably ecumenical, cooperating with clergy across Protestant denominations, including Congregationalists, Presbyterians, and Dutch Reformed ministers. He also held complex views on slavery, initially criticizing its brutality but later owning slaves himself to support his Bethesda Orphanage in Georgia.

Later years and death

In his later years, Whitefield continued his relentless itinerant preaching schedule, despite declining health. He made his seventh and final preaching tour of America in 1769-1770. His last sermon was delivered in Exeter, New Hampshire, on 29 September 1770. Exhausted, he traveled to Newburyport, Massachusetts, where he died the following morning. Per his wishes, he was interred in a crypt beneath the pulpit of the Old South Presbyterian Church. News of his death was met with widespread mourning on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean.

Legacy and influence

Whitefield's legacy is profound, establishing the model of the itinerant, mass-media evangelist. His published Journals and sermons were widely circulated, influencing figures like George Washington and Phillis Wheatley. He helped shape the distinctively evangelical character of American Protestantism and strengthened transatlantic religious networks. Institutions like the University of Pennsylvania trace their origins to fundraising during his visits. He is remembered as a pivotal figure in the history of Methodism, the Great Awakening, and the development of modern evangelicalism.

Category:1714 births Category:1770 deaths Category:Anglican evangelists Category:People from Gloucester Category:Alumni of Pembroke College, Oxford Category:Great Awakening preachers