Breaking Barriers

Sarah Edwards’s and Sarah Osborn’s Extraordinary Journey in The First Great Awakening

Abstract

This study examines the contribution of Sarah Pierpont Edwards and Sarah Osborn to the Great Awakening, a religious spiritual awakening, which happened in the Colonies in the eighteenth century. Sarah Pierpont Edward’s name was overshadowed by that of his husband, who was a representative theologian during the First Great Awakening period. The second subject of this study, Sarah Osborn, was unknown until Catherine A. Brekus shed light on her contribution to the rise of evangelicalism. Since her presence as a female missionary and former boarding school director is of great importance, this paper will empathetically highlight these aspects of her life as well. In the midst of changes in the church and society, women were experimenting with different ways of voicing their thoughts. As a very significant change in attitude, the Quaker leaders allowed women to preach. Aside from the reaction of the communities of Sarah Pierpont Edwards and Sarah Osborn, this study will thoroughly elaborate on their personal lives. Their personal spiritual pilgrimage serves as a cornerstone of the present study. However, as their narratives are one-sided, we have to take into consideration the reception of their memoirs, letters, and diary entries. Amongst others, there were two important male characters in their lives, namely, Jonathan Edwards, the husband of Sarah Pierpont Edwards, and Joseph Fish, a minister, and a spiritual guide of Sarah Osborn, whose reconstructed opinion about the above-mentioned women will be detailed. In the midst of eighteenth-century societal constraints, Sarah Edwards and Sarah Osborn emerged as groundbreakers, defying traditional gender roles and laying the path for women in religious discourses. This article delves into their spiritual journeys, with a special emphasis on their resilience, intellectual capability, and firm commitment to faith.