Stephen Belikoff
Mrs. Schartner
US History 1, Period 6
March 23rd, 2012
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Philosophy/Beliefs, Policy, and
Physical/Mental Characteristics
 Brief Biography on the life of Finney
 General Information on the movement(s)
Finney was involved in

› 2nd Great Awakening Revivalism
Finney’s Contributions to his movement and
preaching style
 Effects of Finney’s Contributions
 Bibliography/Citation Page

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3
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“Human nature is not intrinsically sinful”
› Human beings have the ability to choose for the
greater good when they want to, humans are
NOT inherently wrong doers
Believed Christ died for the salvation of all
those who accepted him and that those
who did not are to suffer damnation which
he feels is eternal separation from God
 Anti-Calvinist
 Anti-Slavery
 Pro Women’s and African American rights

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Utilized advertising to generate interest
 Everyone, even women, is allowed to pray
in public
 Multi church participation
 Used psychological techniques to trigger
responses to people on a personal effort in
order to revive their faith

› Preached like a lawyer from a pulpit- outlining his
argument as if her were speaking to a jury, using
logic, persuasion, and playing on emotions like
hope and fear
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As an adult he:
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Stood six feet two inches tall
Had “piercing” blue eyes
Musically inclined
Distinct leadership qualities which landed
him a good spot in the community
 Loud, firm, and charismatic voice
› Largely self educated
› Hard worker
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Born August 29th, 1792 in Warren, Connecticut
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Parents were non believers, Grandison was not brought up at first to be
religious
1794: Moved to Oneida County in Central New York
› Later relocated a few years later to the New York shore of Lake
Ontario
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Educated at an Uncle of his’ academy back in Connecticut
›
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Never attended college, but learned some Latin, Greek, and Hebrew
from a Presbyterian minister named George Gale in western New York
1818: Went to study as an apprentice under Benjamin Wright
to be a lawyer
1820: Admitted to state bar
1822: Underwent a religious conversion after a religious
epiphany and began a period of religious study under
Reverend George Gale
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
1822: Began ministerial career
› First year of Evangelism spent in Jefferson and St. Lawrence
counties (New York)

1823: Became a candidate for the ministry at St. Lawrence
Presbytery
›
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1824: Ordained minister
October 1824: Married Lydia Andrews (first of three wives and
the only one he had children with)
1825: Work in Rome and Utica, New York
› Brought about dramatic conversions amongst slightly interested
Christians and skeptics
 Utica: Converted one Timothy Weld, who would later go on to be a
prominent Abolitionist
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
1830: He was preaching in New York City and Boston
› Wealthy Christian laymen (men religious, but not part of
the clergy) began to support Finney
 Most Prominent Supporters: Tappan Brothers (future founders
of Oberlin College and prominent abolitionists)
 Arthur Tappan
 Lewis Tappan
Arthur
Tappan
Lewis
Tappan
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
1836: Founded and pastored the
Broadway Tabernacle (Broadway
United Church of Christ)
› Finney designed the building and it
was built for him
› Formed as a Congressionalist church,
though Finney had before been a
Presbyterian
 Finney had become increasingly
dissatisfied with conservative
Presbyterian theology and
discipline, so he left the
Presbyterian Church and took
on Congregationalism for it was
more flexible in embracing
Finney’s beliefs
Broadway Tabernacle
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September 2, 1833: Inspired
by Finney, the
Tappan
brothers
provided
the
financial means to found
Oberlin College in Ohio for
evangelical education in a
social
setting
reflecting
Finney’s reforms
 1835: Moved to Oberlin to
become a theology professor
at Oberlin College
 1851: Became President of
Oberlin College
 1837-1872: Served as pastor
of the First Congregational
Church in Oberlin, after
leaving
the
Broadway
Tabernacle

Oberlin College:
Oberlin College was the first college that allowed
blacks and women in the same classrooms as white
men as well as at the same lunch table
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
1866: Wrote his Memoirs in response to
published autobiographies of two of his
main opponents in a vain attempt to
change their views
› Focused mainly on the revivals
› Opponents:
 Lyman Beecher
 Asahel Nettleton

1875: Maintained his career as a preacher,
teacher, and writer to the end of his life

August 16th, 1875: Died at his home in Oberlin of heart failure at
the age of 82
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Went on from the late 1820s to the late
1830s
 An “awakening” or renewal of religious
awareness
and
faith
throughout
America that restored American faith
back to the way it had been
 Appealed
to:
African
Americans,
women, and industrialists looking to
discipline their workers

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Came from the Second Great Awakening
movement
 Involved renewing the belief in God within
individuals who have lost their way over
time
 More material ways of attracting
churchgoers were accepted, such as
advertising and logical lectures
 Charles G. Finney was the most prominent
as his lectures spurted up members of the
church significantly

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Contribution
Effect
Preaching in New
York and Boston
Converted many of those who had lost faith in their religion. Also brought
together abolitionists and inspired some to join the anti-slavery movement.
Inspired the Tappan brothers to found Oberlin College, which reflects the
beliefs of Finney.
Inspiring Oberlin
College
First College to ever school blacks and women with white men in the same
classroom as well as eating at the same table. Created a place where the
abolitionism movement could start being cultivated. The College also played
an important role in facilitating the underground railroad.
Innovative
Preaching Style
Greatly increased the amount of revivals there were.
Increased his amount of followers he had, which in term increased the
amount of people following Finney’s philosophy. Thus more and more people
began to support women’s rights, abolitionism, black rights, etc.
Revivals
Emergence of the mercantile and manufacturing economy instead of an
agricultural economy as his revivals provided religious justification for a freelabor, wage based work force.
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"Charles Grandison Finney." American History. ABC-CLIO, 2012. Web. 9 Mar. 2012.
Scott, Donald. "Evangelism, Revivalism, and the Second Great Awakening."
nationalhumanitiescenter.org. National Humanities Center, dd 010 2000. Web. 22 Mar
2012. <http://nationalhumanitiescenter.org/tserve/nineteen/nkeyinfo/nevanrev.htm>.
Buttre John Chester. Lewis Tappan. 1870. Engraving. Collection New-York Historical
Society, London. Print.
Name, Unknown. "Finney, Charles Grandison." www,newworldencyclopedia.org. New
World Encyclopedia, 02 010 2011. Web. 22 Mar 2012.
<http://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/Charles_Grandison_Finney>.
Unknown Artist. Arthur Tappan. 1870. Engraving. Collection New-York Historical Society,
London. Print.
Artist Unknown. Oberlin College circa 1835. 1835. Drawing.
http://spydersden.files.wordpress.com, Oberlin, Ohio. Web. 22 Mar 2012.
<http://spydersden.files.wordpress.com/2012/02/oberlin.jpg>.
Unknown Artist. Broadway Tabernacle Church, New York, N.Y.. 1900-1910. Photograph.
Detroit Publishing Company Photograph Collection, Detroit. Web. 22 Mar 2012.
<http://www.encore-editions.com/broadway-tabernacle-church-new-york-n-y>.
Foner, Eric, and John A. Garraty. "Second Great Awakening." The Reader's Companion
to American History. Dec. 1 1991: n.p. SIRS Issues Researcher. Web. 23 Mar 2012.
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