FORGOTTEN TRUTH: Before the American Revolution, there was a Spiritual Revolution
Before there was an American Revolution, there was a spiritual revolution.
BY GREG LAURIE
That is the forgotten truth at the heart of A Great Awakening, a powerful new film that tells the story of America’s first great spiritual awakening— a pivotal event in the establishment of the United States of America long before it even declared independence. While history books often highlight political figures and military victories, this film draws attention to the spiritual movement that preceded them.
PHOTO CREDIT: Sight and Sound
The first great awakening began around 1739 and lasted roughly 30 years. This was not a momentary surge of religious enthusiasm, but a deep cultural and moral transformation. People learned self-governance not through laws, but through changed hearts. In our interview together, director Joshua Enck described it as “ a complete cultural overhaul” led men like Reverend George Whitfield, who partnered with Benjamin Franklin. It is quite a story, brought to life in this new film released in early April.
George Whitefield and Ben Franklin in Their Time
At the center of this awakening was a man most Americans have never heard of today: George Whitefield.
Jonathan Blair, who plays George Whitefield, also joined me for this interview. He described Whitefield as “The first known celebrity throughout the entire colonies. He was the first unifying force throughout the colonies.”
George Whitefield was the most famous person in the American colonies—arguably more well known than Benjamin Franklin. He was an English preacher with a powerful voice and a passion for Christ. He delivered the gospel with urgency and compassion.
Whitefield preached to slaves and treated them as equals before God. He founded orphanages. And he even rebuked colonies for their cruelty toward slaves and for keeping the gospel from them.
Jonathan said, “I feel like Whitfield represents a man who was searching for truth and then found it in the person of Jesus Christ. And Ben Franklin represents the other side, which is: I’m searching for truth, but I don’t know if that really is it.
