Editing Gilbert Tennent (section)

==Early life==
Gilbert Tennent, the eldest son of [[William Tennent]] and Catherine Kennedy, was born at Vinecash, County Armagh, Ireland. Gilbert's father was a [[Church of Ireland]] minister who emigrated to the American colonies before 1718, when he successfully applied to the [[Synod of Philadelphia]] to be accepted as a Presbyterian minister.<ref name="Rickards">{{cite thesis |last= Rickards|first= Cheryl Ann|date= 2003|title= Gilbert Tennent: An Analysis of His Evangelistic Ministry, Methods and Message during the Great Awakening|url= https://digitalcommons.liberty.edu/doctoral/283 |type= DMin Thesis|publisher= Liberty University}}</ref> In 1721, the family moved from [[Westchester, New York]] to [[Province of Pennsylvania|Pennsylvania]] where William served as pastor at [[Bensalem Township, Pennsylvania|Bensalem]] in [[Bucks County]]. Five years later he accepted a call to Neshaminy in what is now [[Warminster, Pennsylvania|Warminster]] where he remained until his death in 1746.<ref name="Sprague"<ref>{{cite book |last1=Sprague |first1=William B. |title=Annals of the American Pulpit, or, Commemorative Notices of Distinguished American Clergymen of Various Denominations |volume=3 |date=1858 |publisher=Robert Carter & Brothers |location=New York |url=https://archive.org/details/00839292.1353.emory.edu}}</ref> 

Gilbert and his three younger brothers received a classical education from their father in Ireland and America. Gilbert briefly studied medicine but in 1723 switched his focus to theology. In May 1725, he was licensed to preach by the [[Presbytery of Philadelphia]]. The same year he received an honorary [[Master of Arts]] degree from [[Yale University|Yale College]] in recognition of his educational achievements despite not having attended lectures.<ref name="Coalter">{{cite book |last1=Coalter |first1=Milton A. |title=Gilbert Tennent, Son of Thunder : A Case Study of Continental Pietism's Impact on the First Great Awakening in the Middle Colonies |date=1986 |publisher=Greenwood Press |location=Westport, Connecticut |url=https://archive.org/details/gilberttennentso00coal}}</ref>