The second great awakening and William Miller's countercultural theological approach: a comparative study

The Second Great Awakening was one of the most influential movements in 19th-century America. It spread throughout New England, the Western frontier, and Charles Finney's revivals in the "burned-over district". William Miller's eschatological crusade happened during the final days of the Second Revival. Although Miller's preaching was shaped by this revival, there were also notable differences in his approach. This article compares the Second Great Awakening revival in America with the theology and hermeneutics of William Miller. The methodology is a literature review of primary sources and scholarly histories. In the Second Awakening, there was a shift from Calvinism towards Arminian free will. Enlightenment reason also played a significant role in biblical interpretation, alongside anticipation of an imminent earthly millennium. William Miller shared a version of Calvinism, placed an important role of reason in his theology, and was united in the fervor and millennium expectations of his era. However, Miller's sole focus was Jesus' premillennial return around 1843-1844 and not the ordinary post-millenarist view. Thus, his message was basically, proclaiming the imminent end of the world, not human progress. While impacted by his context, Miller's strict scriptural hermeneutic produced a historicist prophetic system that countered spiritualized eschatologies. The Second Great Awakening shaped Millerism, providing structure and enthusiasm. However, Miller’s countercultural biblical focus and eschatological conclusions made his message both appealing and infuriating to many leaders of the Second Revival, including Charles Finney.