A look at humanism on the eve of Emerson's birthday
Ralph Waldo Emerson would be 209 years old on May 25. In body, of course, he does not survive, but his humanist thoughts, ideas, writings and essays are treasures that remain with us today.
1:44 p.m. EDT May 17, 2016
Rev. Tracy Sprowls
Rev. Tracy Sprowls is minister of the First Unitarian Society of Plainfield, 724 Park Ave, Plainfield.
Ralph Waldo Emerson would be 209 years old on May 25th. In body he, of course, does not survive but his thoughts and ideas, his writings, and his essays are treasures that remain with us today. He is undoubtedly one of the most influential figures in our cultural history.
Emerson, often referred to as the “the Sage of Concord,” was a writer, a preacher, a lecturer, and a great thinker. His first book, Nature, was published in 1836. Many other books, essays and poems followed. Perhaps his most controversial and influential piece of work was the Divinity School Address given to the graduating class of Harvard Divinity School in 1838. In this address to the graduating, soon to be ministers, he suggested that we all have access to the divine and that knowing God was intuitive and not scriptural and further he called upon them to not preach an old, decaying religion but to recreate the life of religion in the souls of those who would hear them.
Thus, Emerson opened the door to a new understanding of the purpose, role, and importance of religion in human life. While not usually connected to the humanism movement, his work of disconnecting religion from scripture and expanding religion to include life experiences shifted the shape and form of religion forever.
Humanism can be understood through Emerson’s work. He suggested that people not be distracted by the form of religion but to look into their own hearts and discover who they are called to be in the world and then to live that life. We are never, ever done growing our souls; this task is ever present.
http://www.mycentraljersey.com/story/life/faith/2016/05/17/look-humanism-eve-emersons-birthday/84493760/
