Charles G. Finney, *Lectures on Revivals of Religion*, 1835:
"When the churches are thus awakened and reformed, the salvation of sinners will follow, going through the community with power... The great business of the church is to reform the world, to put away every kind of sin."
The sentiments expressed in the excerpt most directly contributed to which of the following developments?
- The growth of voluntary organizations dedicated to social reforms like temperanceAnswer
- BThe transition of household manufacturing into centralized factory production
- CThe series of Supreme Court decisions that expanded the power of the federal government
- DThe establishment of a defensive foreign policy to prevent European colonization in the Americas
Answer
The growth of voluntary organizations dedicated to social reforms like temperance
The correct option is correct because the Second Great Awakening popularized the concept of perfectionism—the belief that individuals and society could be morally improved. Converts put this belief into practice by forming voluntary reform societies, such as the American Temperance Society, to address perceived sins in American life.
Step-by-Step Solution
Key Concept
The relationship between religious revivalism (Second Great Awakening) and the rise of antebellum social reform movements.
Estimated Time:45s