An Unlikely Friendship at Evangelicalism’s Roots

A Great Awakening
Directed by Joshua Enck
Sight and Sound Films

With the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence approaching, A Great Awakening shines a light on the religious revival that influenced that epochal event. The story is told through the friendship of Benjamin Franklin (John Paul Sneed), and Rev. George Whitefield (Jonathan Blair), the maverick and itinerant evangelist.

The movie traces their separate paths, beginning in childhood, leading up to their eventual encounter in Philadelphia. Whitefield is born and raised in Gloucester, England, and later goes up to Oxford, where he experiences a religious conversion and commits his life to Christ. Ordained deacon, he gains a reputation as a persuasive and charismatic preacher. Eventually, he travels to the American colonies where, like Charles and John Wesley in the British Isles, he attracts large crowds and brings many to the Christian faith.

Ben Franklin is the tenth son of Josiah, who gives Ben as a “tithe” to the Lord. “God’s hand is upon you” Josiah says to his son, who is apprenticed to his brother James in the print business. Although the prophecy will come true, the God whom Franklin follows will not be the same as his father’s. The independently minded Franklin is more interested in scientific and political inquiry than in conforming to any established religion.

Whitefield enters early adulthood at a time when the Church of England has lost its evangelical fervor. Whitefield and the Wesleys see their mission as bringing the Church back to life. In one scene, Whitefield dazzles an English church congregation with his oratory; in the next, we see him at a mine, preaching the gospel while being pelted with lumps of coal. Such are his powers of persuasion that he is able to turn the crowd around. 

In America, Whitefield’s preaching is no less effective; large crowds are roused by his inspiring sermons. In Philadelphia, a curious Ben Franklin is impressed by Whitefield’s eloquence. When the two men meet in Franklin’s print shop, they form a mutually beneficial partnership. Despite their differences - Franklin’s Deism rubs against Whitefield’s more orthodox faith - Franklin’s printing press will supply the popular demand for Whitefield’s words. 

The title of the movie refers to a real event, The Great Awakening, which was the birth of Methodism and the revival of faith within the Anglican Church. Whitefield was its brightest star; it is estimated that he preached 18,000 times to ten million people. The actor who plays him with convincing intensity is Jonathan Blair, whose good looks add to his appeal, although do not match those of the real Whitefield, whose looks were rather plainer. His character changes from youth up to ordination, but remains much the same thereafter. Of his difficult marriage, we hear nothing.

Franklin is played by John Paul Sneed, who bears a strong resemblance to the revered polymath and statesman. His performance, which subtly conveys Franklin’s intelligence and wit, is central to the movie’s success. Some of the best scenes depict the tension between the two men, especially when Franklin reproaches his friend for hypocrisy, drawing attention to Whitefield’s use of slaves to maintain the operation of an orphanage.

A Great Awakening is a production from Sight and Sound Theaters, a company known for their spectacular stagings of Bible stories that employ elaborate sets with live animals. It is a natural inheritor of Whitefield’s evangelical message. Sight and Sound tell the story in a straightforward way, not hiding the flaws of either man. 

There are some minor quibbles, such as West Country folk speaking with cockney accents. (Imagine South Carolinians talking like New Yorkers). The orchestral soundtrack is intrusive at times. Ultimately, however, A Great Awakening is a movie that vividly recreates a key moment in US history. One of the questions it raises is as pertinent today as it was then. Having sat through the Continental Congress sessions, Franklin stares at the half sun carved into President George Washington’s chair and asks, “Is the sun rising or setting?”

David Beresford