Episode Overview

Podcast: Breakpoint
Host: John Stonestreet (Colson Center)
Date: February 13, 2026
Episode: The Great Awakening and the American Revolution

This episode commemorates the approaching 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, exploring how the Christian movement known as the Great Awakening shaped the mindset, values, and political landscape leading to the American Revolution. Host John Stonestreet illustrates how both evangelical Christianity and Enlightenment ideas—what Michael Novak describes as “two wings”—contributed to America's founding.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Christianity vs. Enlightenment: The Two Influences on American Founding

• Main Idea: There’s ongoing debate over whether America’s foundations were rooted more in Christianity or Enlightenment Deism.
• Reference: Michael Novak’s "On Two Wings" proposes that both traditions—empirical reasoning of John Locke and Christian faith—propelled the American experiment.
  • Quote: "The American eagle flies on both the empirical tradition of John Locke and Christian faith." (01:00)

2. What Was the Great Awakening?

• Historical Context: The Great Awakening was a wave of evangelical revivals in the 1730s and 1740s.
• Main Figures: Predominantly Jonathan Edwards and George Whitefield, the latter notably admired by Benjamin Franklin. (02:00)
• Disruptive Impact: It emphasized “personal conversion”—challenging the authority and status of established clergy.
  • Quote: "The Awakening emphasized the need for personal conversion, an idea that disrupted existing churches..." (02:22)

3. Challenge to Hierarchies and Authority

• Radical Teachings: Presbyterian Gilbert Tennant argued that a common, regenerate believer could possess more spiritual authority than an ordained but unregenerate minister or even a prince.
  • Quote: "A regenerated plowman was better than an unconverted minister... a pious, regenerate beggar was better than an unholy, unregenerate prince." (03:05)
• Revolutionary Ideas: These teachings undermined both church and state hierarchies, encouraging a mindset open to political revolution.
  • Quote: "If a regenerate layman is superior to an unregenerate bishop... the same thinking was applied to the state." (04:05)

4. Promoting Spiritual and Social Equality

• Social Impact: The message of spiritual equality translated into a new sense of social and political equality among the colonists.
  • Quote: "These teachings on spiritual equality spilled over into ideals about social and political equality." (04:30)
• Erosion of Deference to the Monarchy: As authority was questioned, the idea of a republic gained favor over monarchy.
  • Quote: "This led to the thinking that a republic was superior to a monarchy." (05:05)

5. Unifying Effect and American Identity

• Unity Across Colonies: Itinerant preachers gathered diverse crowds, fostering interconnected networks and a shared purpose, contributing to a new American identity distinct from England. (05:25)
  • Quote: "Their common experience contributed to an emerging sense of American identity, one that was distinct from England." (05:35)
• Providence and Destiny: The Awakening was seen as a sign of God’s direct engagement in history, supporting a sense of mission and divine favor.

6. The Revolution as Moral Crusade

• Moral Framing: The American Revolution was regarded by many as a moral and spiritual battle, not just a political one.
  • Quote: "For them, it was a moral crusade to preserve virtue, liberty, and divine favor." (06:10)

7. Blending of Christian and Enlightenment Ideas

• Locke and Civic Virtue: The Awakening’s ideals of personal conscience, egalitarianism, and individual responsibility meshed with John Locke’s theories and the broader Enlightenment, yet ultimately drew from deeper biblical precedents (e.g., God’s covenant with Israel).
  • Quote: "The egalitarian ideas of the Awakening were consistent with a republican form of government and the idea of the consent of the governed." (06:40)

8. Doctrine of Original Sin and Government

• Limited Government: The Christian doctrine (from Augustine to Calvin to the Puritans) that all are fallen justified restrictions on governmental power.
  • Quote: "No one and no group should be trusted with absolute power." (07:15)

9. The Lasting Legacy of the Great Awakening

• Foundational Influence: Without the cultural groundwork of the Great Awakening, the Revolution may have lacked popular support and moral justification. Yet, both the Awakening and Enlightenment were vital.

  • Quote: "The Awakening alone did not spark the Revolution, but as Novak noted, it was a contributing factor..." (07:45)

• Throughout 2026, the podcast will continue to explore America’s story through the lens of a Christian worldview.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Michael Novak's summary:
  “The American eagle flies on both the empirical tradition of John Locke and Christian faith.” (01:00)

• John Stonestreet on authority:
  “If a regenerate layman is superior to an unregenerate bishop, then the ecclesiastical hierarchy is no guarantee of spiritual legitimacy.” (04:15)

• On challenging monarchy:
  “This led to the thinking that a republic was superior to a monarchy.” (05:05)

• On the American Revolution’s purpose:
  “For them, it was a moral crusade to preserve virtue, liberty, and divine favor.” (06:10)

• On consent of the governed:
  “That was an idea championed by John Locke, but whose ultimate source is God's covenant with Israel at Sinai.” (07:00)

Important Timestamps

• 00:01–02:00: Introduction, framing the “two wings” thesis
• 02:00–03:30: The Great Awakening’s history, main figures, challenge to church authority
• 03:30–05:10: Tennant’s radical sermon, undermining both church and state hierarchies
• 05:10–06:00: Social and political equality, rise of republican thinking
• 06:00–07:00: The unifying effect of revivalism, emergence of an American identity
• 07:00–07:45: Locke’s philosophy and its biblical roots
• 07:45–End: The Awakening’s role in justifying and fueling the Revolution

Conclusion

John Stonestreet’s episode argues that the Great Awakening, by instilling a spirit of spiritual and social equality, directly influenced the American Revolution and the nation’s founding values. He maintains that both Christian and Enlightenment ideals were essential to the founding—neither alone would have sufficed. The episode concludes with a commitment to further exploring these Christian roots in future podcast commentaries.

For listeners and readers, this analysis delivers a nuanced, faith-based perspective on how religious revival shaped the very fabric of American history.