INTRODUCTION John Wesley and George Whitefield were two very influential men in the great awakening. Although the impact of both of these men was felt far and wide during the great awakening; their views on the doctrine of election could not be more conflicting. Justo L. Gonzalez in his book The Story of Christianity spoke about the dynamic nature of the Whitefield and Wesley relationship. He said: “Wesley and Whitefield worked together for some time, although Wesley slowly became the main leader of the movement. They eventually separated due to theological differences. Both were Calvinists in most matters; but, on the question of predestination and free will, Wesley departed from orthodox Calvinism, preferring the Arminian position.” According to Gonzalez both of these men were once leaders of the Great Awakening but parted ways over the issue of the doctrine of election. The lives of John Wesley and George Whitefield, the doctrine of election, and Wesley's response to this doctrine will be examined in an effort to better understand their views on this doctrine. By studying the lives of these two men, this article hopes to establish the importance of these two men when it comes to Christianity in America. Having established the enormous impact of these two men, it would be appropriate to study the very doctrine that caused a rift between them. Finally, once we understand the doctrine of election, this article will move on to a brief study of Wesley's response to this doctrine. The life of Charles Whitefield will be the starting point of this study.CHAPTER 1GEORGE WHITEFIELDGeorge Whitefield was born on 16 December in the year 1774. George was born to an upper middle class family in the city of ...... middle of paper .. ....n, David G. and Douglas Wilson. Back to basics: rediscovering the richness of the reformed faith. Phillipsburg, NJ: P&R Pub., 1996.Hoffman, Fred W.. Revival Times in America. Boston: W. A. ​​Wilde, 1956. Holy Bible: New International Version. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2005. Jeffery, Peter. Theology in miniature. Darlington, England: Evangelical Press, 2000.Manschreck, Clyde Leonard ed. A History of Christianity: Readings in Church History: Volume 2: The Church from the Reformation to the Present. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Book House, 1964. Noll, Mark A.. Old Religion in a New World: The Story of North American Christianity. Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 2002.Reymond, Robert L.. A New Systematic Theology of the Christian Faith. Nashville: T. Nelson, 1998.Woodbridge, John D.. Great Leaders of the Christian Church. Chicago: Moody Press, 1988.