# Second Great Awakening book recommendations



## PreservedKillick (Jul 22, 2013)

I would like to ask for recommendations for books about the Second Great Awakening. I am currently reading Nathan Hatch's _The Democratization of American Christianity_, which I highly recommend, and was thinking along the lines of a more general overview. Academic studies from a Christian scholar are preferred, but I'm open to suggestions.

Thank you in advance!


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## Eoghan (Jul 22, 2013)

If you are referring to Finney I listened to Packer describing him as used of God in the first instance and then desperately trying to find the formula in the second part of his career. Apparently at one point Finney came to the conclusion that his ministry was not blessed because he did not emphasise vegetarianism enough.


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## Eoghan (Jul 22, 2013)

He was wrong by the way, re: vegetarianism, before someone asks!


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## CharlieJ (Jul 22, 2013)

Here are some general books to be aware of:

America's God by Mark Noll - tracing the changing shape of religion from the colonial period to the Civil War

The Churching of America, 1776-2005 by Finke and Stark - a more general overview, but very helpful to get the quantitative and sociological parts down

Revival and Revivalism by Iain Murray - pretty heavily biased toward Calvinism; argues that "revival" changed meaning between 1st and 2nd Awakenings


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## Shawn Mathis (Jul 23, 2013)

Do any of these interact with Finney's views and/or his impact?


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## CharlieJ (Jul 23, 2013)

Yes. All 3 do to different extents. The Murray book gives the most concentrated focus, and is pretty much a book arguing how awful Finney was. The first two books I listed are much more important, though, for someone who is new to serious study of American history.


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## PreservedKillick (Jul 23, 2013)

Mr. Johnson,

Thank you for your recommendations. I have been wanting to read the Noll book for some time, and will probably acquire it this week. I wasn't aware of the other two. Just to clarify, I'm not new to the study of American history, just to this topic apart from its social, cultural, and political impacts, which I've read about as it comes up in books on other topics. I have a couple of monographs and essays on specific aspects of the Second Great Awakening as well, but was looking for the best general overview--and your suggestions look great.

Eoghan,

I have read about Finney, and he certainly wasn't even the craziest of those who applied his philosophy of perfectionism to various reform schemes. Sylvester Graham was another minister/reformer of the period who did push vegetarianism to the point of inventing the flour for the Graham cracker, which you were supposed to eat instead of meat.


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## CuriousNdenver (Jul 23, 2013)

CharlieJ said:


> America's God by Mark Noll - tracing the changing shape of religion from the colonial period to the Civil War



Have you read the Mark Noll book, Charlie? I am also interested in a broad overview of this, as well as the history of American Christianity in general.


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## CharlieJ (Jul 23, 2013)

Yes, here is a short review I wrote: Review – America’s God by Mark Noll | Sacra Pagina


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## Shawn Mathis (Jul 23, 2013)

Well, you've convinced me to put the Noll book on my reading-list. Hatch's book looks good as well.


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