Thy Kingdom Come
Thy Kingdom Come:
American Evangelicalism from George Whitefield to Contemporary Politics
Introduction
"Hasten, O LORD, that blessed Time, and let thy Kingdom come!"
These are the words that George Whitefield penned upon seeing the Savannah River in America for the first time. Originally from Gloucester, England, George Whitefield became a household name in the American colonies. Whitefield earned the title the Grand Itinerant for his eloquent sermons, which drew large crowds throughout the colonies. His role in the Great Awakening and the impact he had on the shaping of America’s religious landscape makes him one of the founders of American evangelicalism.
The exhibition begins with Whitefield and the Great Awakening in the eighteenth-century and traces evangelicalism through the 250 years following Whitefield’s death, while contextualizing the history, beliefs, and diversity of the evangelical movement. Evangelicalism is characterized by a highly participatory expression of religion conveyed through personal conversion, revival, fundamental beliefs, and strong convictions about God and nation. However, defining evangelicalism is fraught with obstacles due to historical shifts in the movement and the different methodologies used to produce those definitions. The curators of this exhibition have problematized monolithic portrayals of evangelicalism in the media in order to demonstrate the significant role this movement has played within the broader American culture.