His inspiring preaching helped start the Great Awakening, which became a huge religious revival that helped unite the [[colony|colonies]] prior to the [[American Revolution]]. Like most eighteenth century Congregationalists (who were derived from the seventeenth century "Puritan" church), Edwards was a [[Calvinist]]; however, traditional Calvinist maintain that only the elect, who had been chosen before the creation of the world, could achieve salvation.<ref>http://www.wfu.edu/~matthetl/perspectives/four.html</ref> By the time of the Great Awakening, most Calvinist clergy had altered their views that one could alter their eternal fate (which was the point of most of Edward's sermons). | His inspiring preaching helped start the Great Awakening, which became a huge religious revival that helped unite the [[colony|colonies]] prior to the [[American Revolution]]. Like most eighteenth century Congregationalists (who were derived from the seventeenth century "Puritan" church), Edwards was a [[Calvinist]]; however, traditional Calvinist maintain that only the elect, who had been chosen before the creation of the world, could achieve salvation.<ref>http://www.wfu.edu/~matthetl/perspectives/four.html</ref> By the time of the Great Awakening, most Calvinist clergy had altered their views that one could alter their eternal fate (which was the point of most of Edward's sermons). |