Wednesday, April 9, 2008

How do we preach?


I came across this article on preaching, tell me what you think...

Emerson’s portrait of the preacher: ‘Life passed through the fire of thought’
by Jay Cormier

In July 1838, the faculty of the Divinity College at Harvard invited an alumnus, Ralph Waldo Emerson, to address the seminarians. The speech was not well received. Emerson had left the ministry a few years before: the death of his young wife drove him to question both his beliefs and profession. Emerson’s Divinity College address challenged what he saw as a lifeless Christian tradition and humanity’s inability to encounter God in the hearts of every man and woman.

You can read the rest here: http://www.connections-mediaworks.com/notebook.html#emerson


1 comment:

Shaun Shanley said...

I would agree wholeheartedly. I would also add Emerson's thoughts "the man on whom the soul descends, through whom the soul speaks, alone can teach. Courage,piety,love,wisdom can teach: and every man can open his door to these angels, and they shall bring him the gift of tongues. But the man who aims to speak as books enable, as synods use, as the fashion guides, and as interest commands, babbles. Let him hush." and lastly, "Preaching is the expression of the moral sentiment in application to the duties of life"