Revival and Religious Change

In the first section of chapter 10, Revival and Religious Change, it talks a great deal about the formation of other religions beliefs and the efforts to spread these beliefs. For example Methodism was not a very popular religion in America until 1850 when it became clear he most popular denomination. The Methodism's strategy to reach peoples spiritual needs by using circuit riders. The men and women pushed west with the expansion of America to reach new settlers. "All souls are equal in salvation and that all people can be saved by surrendering to God", this is one of the most important  transformations of the second great awakening. Charles Grandison Finney and Lyman Beecher were two men that didn't see religion eye to eye but both were very influential to this idea. The Revolution tore down to old rules and code of conduct for the religious leaders and set new standards. Preachers of longstanding denominations were required to have a divinity degree and at least some theological training in order to become spiritual leaders, many alternative denominations only required a conversion experience and a supernatural “call to preach.” Some reforms within the church were so opposed such as the Methodist and Baptist church  the members requested that the go back to how the earlier generations did it. This brought about self declared prophets who claimed to be called by God to creat new churches and introduce new ideas. Transcendentalism emerged during this time as well and believed in a higher spiritual principle within each person that could be trusted to discover truth, guide moral action, and inspire art. Many America Christians didn't give into the rival groups. Instead many created groups to protest and reject the orthodox beliefs of the other groups.