1820-1840s - Articles

The Third Great Awakening 1820-1840

Third Great Awakening

Charles Finney

The early nineteenth century was a period of extraordinary spiritual ferment. Fast on the heels of the Second Great Awakening, another wave of revival power swept across the Atlantic world. Unlike earlier cycles of renewal, which often surged and then subsided, this new movement carried a sustained momentum. From roughly 1820 to 1840, revival fires burned across America, the British Isles, and far‑flung mission fields, reshaping Protestantism and leaving a legacy that would influence evangelical thought for generations.

Historians sometimes debate whether this period should be considered a distinct “Third Great Awakening” or simply the continuation of the Second (eg Edwin Orr described it as a “resurgence”). Yet the theological innovations, new evangelistic methods, and global reach of this era justify treating it as a unique chapter in revival history. What emerged was not merely a renewal of piety but a transformation in how Christians understood evangelism, social reform, and the very nature of revival itself.

The Main Characters in This Revival

The American landscape of the 1820s and 1830s was dominated by two towering figures: Asahel Nettleton and Charles Grandison Finney. Though both were revivalists, their approaches could not have been more different.

Asahel Nettleton: The Old School Revivalist

Nettleton, a quiet and deeply Calvinistic preacher, represented the older Puritan‑influenced tradition of revival. He emphasized:

  • The sovereignty of God
  • The seriousness of sin
  • The need for deep conviction
  • The dangers of emotional manipulation

His meetings were marked by solemnity rather than spectacle. Yet the results were profound. Entire communities were transformed, and Nettleton’s converts were known for their stability and long‑term faithfulness. His influence bridged the gap between the First and Second Great Awakenings, and he continued to shape revival thought well into the 1830s.

Charles Finney: The Revolutionary Evangelist

If Nettleton represented continuity, Charles Finney represented innovation. A former lawyer turned preacher, Finney burst onto the scene in 1830 with a ministry that would reshape American evangelicalism. His revivals were dramatic, organized, and unapologetically pragmatic. Finney believed that revival was not a miracle but “the right use of the constituted means.” In other words, if Christians prayed, preached, and organized effectively, revival would follow.

Finney introduced what became known as the “new measures”, including:

  • The anxious bench, where seekers sat under intense exhortation
  • Public prayer for individuals by name
  • Extended revival meetings lasting weeks
  • Direct, confrontational preaching
  • Encouragement of women to pray publicly

These methods were controversial, especially among Calvinists, but they were undeniably effective. Finney’s 1830–31 Rochester revival alone reportedly brought 100,000 conversions in a single year, a staggering number for the time.

James Caughey: The Transatlantic Revivalist

Another American, James Caughey, carried the revival spirit beyond U.S. borders. A Methodist evangelist, Caughey conducted powerful campaigns in Canada, England, and Ireland, influencing thousands and preparing the ground for later revivalists such as William Booth of the Salvation Army. His preaching combined Methodist fervor with Finney‑style organization, making him one of the most effective international evangelists of the era.

The Growth of American Churches

The revival’s impact on American denominations was dramatic. The Methodist Episcopal Church, already growing rapidly through the camp‑meeting movement, saw explosive expansion in the 1830s. Camp meetings—mass outdoor gatherings featuring preaching, singing, and communal worship—became a defining feature of frontier religion. Between 1840 and 1842, Methodist membership doubled, a testament to the revival’s momentum.

Other denominations also flourished:

  • Baptists expanded rapidly in the South and West.
  • Presbyterians experienced both growth and internal conflict, especially over Finney’s theology.
  • Congregationalists saw renewed missionary zeal.

The revival also fueled the rise of voluntary societies—Bible societies, tract societies, missionary boards, and temperance organizations—that would shape American religious culture for decades.

Finney’s Lasting Influence

Perhaps the greatest legacy of this awakening lies in Finney’s writings, especially his Autobiography and Lectures on Revivals of Religion. These works articulated a new theology of revival—one emphasizing human responsibility, moral persuasion, and social reform. Finney argued that Christians could and should labor to bring about revival, a view that resonated deeply with the democratic spirit of the age.

His ideas influenced:

  • Evangelists
  • Missionaries
  • Social reformers
  • Holiness and Pentecostal movements
  • Modern evangelical revivalism

Finney’s emphasis on moral action also helped fuel movements such as abolitionism, temperance, and women’s rights, making the Third Great Awakening not only a spiritual revival but a catalyst for social transformation.

UK Revivals in the Third Great Awakening

While America was experiencing its revival surge, the United Kingdom was undergoing its own spiritual renewal. The 1830s saw widespread awakenings across England, Wales, Scotland, and Ireland.

England: Aitkin, Haslam, and the Rise of the Brethren

Evangelists such as Robert Aitkin and William Haslam conducted highly successful missions, drawing large crowds and revitalizing parishes. Their preaching emphasized personal conversion, holiness, and the imminent return of Christ.

During this period, the Plymouth Brethren movement emerged, led by figures like John Nelson Darby. The Brethren emphasized:

  • The simplicity of New Testament church life
  • The priesthood of all believers
  • The imminent Second Coming
  • Separation from worldly structures

Another towering figure was George Müller, whose orphanage work in Bristol became a global symbol of faith and prayer. Müller’s reliance on prayer alone for financial support inspired countless Christians and demonstrated the practical outworking of revival spirituality.

Edward Irving and the Restorationist Movement

A unique and controversial figure, Edward Irving championed the restoration of spiritual gifts—tongues, prophecy, and apostolic ministries. His London congregation experienced manifestations that some considered revival and others viewed with suspicion. Though Irving’s movement eventually formed the Catholic Apostolic Church, his emphasis on spiritual gifts foreshadowed later Pentecostal and charismatic movements.

Wales: A Land on Fire

Wales, long known for its poetic preaching, experienced powerful revivals under men like:

  • John Elias
  • Christmas Evans
  • William Williams

Their sermons were vivid, imaginative, and deeply emotional, stirring entire communities. Welsh revivals often featured intense singing, heartfelt prayer, and dramatic conversions.

Scotland: A Revival of Depth and Doctrine

Scotland produced some of the most influential revival leaders of the era:

  • John and Horatius Bonar, hymn writers and pastors
  • Thomas Chalmers, a leader in church reform and social ministry
  • Robert Murray McCheyne, whose holiness and missionary passion left a lasting mark
  • W. H. Burns and his son William Chalmers Burns, who later carried revival fire to China

Scottish revivals were characterized by deep conviction, doctrinal preaching, and a strong emphasis on holiness.

International Revivals

The Third Great Awakening was not confined to the English‑speaking world. Reports of local revivals emerged from:

  • Scandinavia, where Lutheran pietism found new life
  • Central Europe, especially among Moravians and Reformed communities
  • South Africa, where missionary stations experienced renewal
  • The Pacific Islands, influenced by missionary expansion
  • India, particularly in the regions of Malabar and Ceylon

These revivals varied in form but shared common features: renewed prayer, increased missionary activity, and widespread conversions.

A Revival Period Overlapping Two Eras

The awakening that began around 1830 lasted roughly twelve years, ending around 1842. Yet its roots stretch back into the earlier revival movements of 1800–1820. Those earlier decades saw intermittent awakenings—“spasmodic revivals”—that gradually waned before the dramatic resurgence of the 1830s.

Some historians, such as J. Edwin Orr, argue that the 1830s revival was simply the continuation of the Second Great Awakening. They point out that many leaders, including Asahel Nettleton, were active in both periods. However, the theological and methodological innovations introduced by Finney mark a clear shift.

Why This Awakening Should Be Seen as Distinct

The case for treating the Third Great Awakening as a separate event rests on several factors:

  1. Finney’s “New Measures”

Finney’s methods represented a radical departure from earlier revival practices. His emphasis on human agency, emotional appeal, and organized evangelism created a new model that would dominate American revivalism for the next century.

  1. The Rise of Arminian Theology

Finney’s anti‑Calvinistic Arminianism challenged traditional doctrines of predestination and divine sovereignty. He taught that sinners had the ability—and responsibility—to choose salvation, a view that reshaped American evangelical theology.

  1. Global Reach

Unlike earlier awakenings, the Third Great Awakening had a distinctly international character. Revivalists traveled across continents, and missionary societies expanded rapidly.

  1. Social Reform

This revival was deeply intertwined with social movements. Abolitionism, temperance, prison reform, and education all gained momentum from revival‑inspired activism.

  1. Long‑Term Influence

Finney’s writings, the rise of the Brethren, the restorationist movements, and the missionary expansion of the 1830s all contributed to a legacy that extended far beyond the revival’s immediate timeframe.

Conclusion

The Third Great Awakening (1820–1840) stands as one of the most dynamic and transformative periods in Christian history. It blended old and new—traditional Calvinist piety with innovative evangelistic methods, local awakenings with global missionary expansion, doctrinal preaching with social reform. Figures like Finney, Nettleton, Müller, Darby, McCheyne, and Caughey shaped not only their own nations but the future of evangelicalism worldwide.

Though sometimes overshadowed by the more famous First and Second Great Awakenings, this period deserves recognition as a distinct and powerful movement of spiritual renewal. Its influence continues to echo in modern revivalism, missionary work, and evangelical theology.

For further research

  1. Primary Sources: Charles Finney & Asahel Nettleton

Since these two represent the “theological tug-of-war” of the era, their original writings are essential for understanding the shift in revival methods.

  1. Transatlantic & UK Movements

These links cover the figures who brought the revival to the British Isles and the emergence of the Brethren.

  1. Denominational Growth & Social Reform

The 1820–1840 period saw the explosion of Methodism and the birth of “Voluntary Societies.”

  1. General Scholarly Resources

For researchers debating the “Second vs. Third Awakening” distinction mentioned in our text.