Considered as revitalization, an "awakening" of religious devotion, thus called the "Great Awakening", the fear of the flames of hell swept through the American colonies, mainly in New England, between 1730-1745. Dominating Calvinist orthodoxy, which was the main religion that branched off into other sections before the Great Awakening, it divided the religious community internally, into "old lights" and "new lights", those opposed and those supportive of the Great Awakening; caused primarily by a decline in worship attendance, and Enlightenment rationalism. .
Due to conciliations with the Congregational Church, such as the Half-way Covenant, used to raise the worship attendance, which however, led to further declines of religious commitment. However, with preachers such as Jonathan Edwards, in his notable sermon, "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God", stating that "The God that holds you over the pit of hell, much as one holds a spider or some loathsome insect over the fire, abhors you, and is dreadfully provoked. (5b2)", and George Whitfield, who caused even the skeptical Benjamin Franklin to empty his pockets into the collection plates. Using the simplest language, and taking advantage of human guilt, these preachers greatly helped in the rise of church attendance, creating vivid images of Hell, and stating that no longer was there the elite, everyone could have salvation if they redeemed their sins now. They spread their message out to all, to the simplest country folk, and even women and African American slaves, increasing church attendance to the extent that sermons were needed to be preached outdoors, turning the sermons to theatrical performances.
In the age of Enlightenment, when the Calvinism orthodox was at its highest level, the Church was made for the elite members, those who were already predestined to go through the golden gates of Heaven, while there were others who were forever damned to the burn in agony in Hellfire.