Emerson...

While reading the Divinity School Address I couldn't stop thinking to myself what a bold man Emerson was. Personally, I love the fact that Emerson so self assuredly spoke in front of Harvard's entire student body, challenging them against their own ideals and "rituals". As well, I also commend Emerson for proclaiming that Jesus was in fact a prophet, or simply a man who had attained a seemingly unreachable level of divinity. Not many in our History proclaim that Jesus is a prophet (an incredibly risky move that any one at the time would be shunned for). Therefore Emerson did not only challenge the trite and ritualistic ways of Harvard, but also to a degree insulted Christianity. What an inspiration! I mean...even if his ideas were crazy or abstract at the time, now it is looked back upon as a major turning event in our history that has shaped many ideals to the present day. The traditional ways of attaining God though ritualistic dull gatherings and petty prayers came to light through Emerson's Divinity School Address. No wonder Harvard banded him from the school, he was instilling new concepts completely unacceptable and off the wall at that time in history.