The religious Awakening of early America proved to be especially divisive because it (a) disrupted the prevailing social order in many towns and cities that utilized a church government, (b) encouraged emotional involvement in religion, and (c) made religion an individual matter. These factors combined to cause division within many of communities of the nascent country. Before the series of events know as the Awakening, many towns and cities had one church, and one preacher; who essentially had a monopoly on the local church goers. Not only were the people united religiously, but in many towns, the church was also the government. It was this in this state that traveling preachers know as itinerants found many of the communities they sought to evangelize. The itinerants traveled from place to place preaching doctrine that generally contrasted with what local leaders taught. At times, groups of them would enter a town, and in a swirl of religious fervor, win the people’s religious loyalty away from the existing order.
This not only angered local leaders, but, also tended to divide local populations, as some believed the new doctrines that were preached, and others vehemently opposed the new ideas. Those who believed the itinerants were called the “new lights,” and those who stuck to the old ways were referred to as “old lights.” These theological differences became a serious problem in many communities because religion was also the main social structure. Those who came to believe the doctrines preached by the itinerants no longer saw their old church as having authority. This led not only to disputes over theological issues, but naturally came to include issues of social governance as well. In many towns, the people splintered into many opposing groups.
During the Awakening, emotion came to play an important role in religion. This change, which was initially