In the spring of 1775, the settlers of the early American colonies were in a state of chaos. Protestant religious revivals, which later became a permanent part of American culture, swept the colonies in the mid-18th century. This Great Awakening preceded the American Revolution. Awakening leaders issued a widespread call for a spiritual new birth in Christ to people of all backgrounds and classes. This movement divided church congregations and caused people to rethink the Church's authority over society. The colonists appeared to have been stripped of their English rights by the British Crown. On March 23, 1775, a congregation met at St. John's Church in Richmond, Virginia. Patrick Henry delivered his famous speech “Give me liberty or give me death” during the debates which captivated the audience. Mr. Henry's speech is a work of genius which was a call to arms but at times had almost the tone of a sermon. He masterfully used several biblical themes throughout his speech that would have resonated well with most of the settlers since they were in the midst of the Great Awakening which touched the lives of most of the settlers in one way or another. 'another one. Patrick Henry's introduction explained his use of biblical language. . He never used direct quotes from the Bible, but he used themes found in Scripture to achieve his goal. In the opening paragraph, the assembly is reminded of its responsibilities, which included placing duty to God first and duty to country second. This honored the first of the ten commandments given in Exodus 20:3 in which God commanded that we should have no god but Him. Mr. Henry also expressed in the introduction his belief that remaining silent on the matter in question would make him guilty... middle of paper ......s. In Patrick Henry's case, war was coming and the people could not escape it, even though the leaders had given the colonists false confidence in peace. Finally, Mr. Henry asks, “Why are we standing here idly?” (Henry 1775) This reference is taken from Matthew 20:6 which comes from a parable that Jesus told to emphasize a correct attitude in work and service. Patrick Henry called patriots to serve their country and wanted them to be ready to fight for freedom. Patrick Henry was first a Christian and then a patriot. He combined his love for God and his passion for freedom in a lecture that resulted in one of the most memorable speeches in American history. His goal was freedom for the colony of Virginia and for all Americans. Works CitedPatrick Henry, "Give Me Liberty of Give Me Death" Speech, Richmond Virginia, 1775