The Underlying Structure of the Divinity School Address: Journal Article by Carol Johnston

Historical moment

Ralph Waldo Emerson delivered the Divinity School Address on July 15, 1838, at Harvard Divinity School, a period marked by intense religious fervor in America. This era preceded Darwin’s evolutionary theory and was dominated by orthodox Christian beliefs. Emerson’s speech challenged these dominant religious doctrines, especially the traditional views of Christ and Scripture, calling for a spiritual awakening centered on personal experience rather than established dogma. His address was controversial enough to lead Harvard authorities to ban him from campus for 30 years.

Intellectual and spiritual climate

The Divinity School Address reflects the transcendentalist movement, which emphasized individual intuition, self-reliance, and a direct personal connection with the divine. Emerson rejected institutionalized religion and its rigid doctrines, promoting instead a “religious sentiment” based on moral virtue, a deep appreciation of nature, and inner spiritual experience. His vision broke with Unitarian orthodoxy, which had followed a reasoned but doctrinal approach to faith. Emerson urged a liberation from religious dogma, suggesting that Jesus was a supreme spirit among humans rather than a divine savior, which resonated with young scholars seeking a new spiritual path beyond traditional Christianity.

Literary and philosophical framework

Emerson’s Address belongs to a literary tradition blending sermon and philosophical essay, presenting spiritual and ethical guidance as well as intellectual critique. It serves as a bridge between the sectarian sermons of the era and the modern secular commencement speech, highlighting personal growth and authenticity in spirituality. Philosophically, it aligns with transcendentalism’s broader challenge to materialism and orthodox theology by emphasizing subjective experience and the unity of human and divine spirit. This framework reframed religion as a personal, evolving journey rather than fixed institutional beliefs, marking a key moment in American intellectual history.

Key themes (Ralph Waldo Emerson)

• Emerson’s Divinity School Address is analyzed as a prophetic text, echoing the style and urgency of the biblical prophet Jeremiah.
• The article argues that Emerson criticizes institutional religion for losing touch with personal spiritual experience and moral intuition.
• A key theme is the call for a new, direct relationship with the divine, bypassing traditional clergy and rituals.
• Emerson’s vision emphasizes the individual’s moral and spiritual autonomy over dogma and tradition.
• The address is framed as a radical challenge to 19th-century American religious culture, urging renewal and authenticity.
• The underlying structure reflects Emerson’s belief in the “immanent divinity” of every person, a core Transcendentalist idea.

Motifs & problems

The article traces a recurring motif of prophecy in the Divinity School Address, likening Emerson’s rhetorical stance to that of the biblical Jeremiah, who calls his people to return to a purer faith. This prophetic voice becomes a symbol both of critique and hope, pointing to a tension between institutional authority and individual conscience. A central interpretive crux is how Emerson’s call for spiritual independence clashes with the expectations and structures of Harvard and mainstream Protestantism, raising questions about the address’s immediate and lasting impact on American religious thought.

Seminar questions

• How does Emerson’s use of prophetic language shape the message and tone of the Divinity School Address?
• In what ways does Emerson challenge the role of clergy and religious institutions in spiritual life?
• What does the article suggest about the relationship between personal experience and religious tradition in Emerson’s thinking?
• How might the Address be seen as both a critique of and a response to its historical context?
• What evidence does the article provide for Emerson’s influence on later American religious and intellectual movements?
• How does the structure of the Address reflect Emerson’s broader philosophical beliefs?
• Can the themes of the Address still speak to contemporary questions about faith and authority?

Critical approaches & debates

Carol Johnston’s “The Underlying Structure of the Divinity School Address: Emerson as Jeremiah” offers a close, formalist reading of Ralph Waldo Emerson’s 1838 speech at Harvard Divinity School. Johnston argues that Emerson structures his address like a biblical prophet, using rhetorical moves and imagery found in the Book of Jeremiah to critique religious institutions and call for personal spiritual renewal. Scholarly debates focus on whether Emerson’s address is primarily a break from tradition or a creative reworking of it; some see Emerson as thoroughly radical, while others find traces of older religious forms in his arguments. Feminist, Marxist, and postcolonial readings have not yet featured prominently in academic discussions of this specific article, but the work invites further contextual study.

Key passages

Johnston highlights Emerson’s opening, where he sets the tone of prophetic urgency by addressing the graduates as “disciples” called to a new vision of faith. She notes how Emerson uses metaphor—comparing religion, for example, to a corpse—to shock listeners into recognizing spiritual decay. The turning point comes when Emerson urges the audience to seek God within themselves, not in institutions or dogmas, a move Johnston compares to Jeremiah’s call for inner renewal. This passage matters because it shows Emerson’s use of biblical style to make a revolutionary point about religion’s future.

Bibliography

Primary:

• Ralph Waldo Emerson, Divinity School Address (1838). Essential for direct engagement with the text analyzed.

Secondary:

• Carol Johnston, “The Underlying Structure of the Divinity School Address: Emerson as Jeremiah,” Studies in the American Renaissance (1980), ed. Joel Myerson. The foundational analysis discussed here.
• Joel Porte, “I Am Not the Man You Take Me For” (1973). Explores Emerson’s self-presentation and style.
• Robert F. Burkholder and Joel Myerson, Emerson: An Annotated Secondary Bibliography (1986). Useful for tracking Emerson scholarship.

No recent (last 15 years) scholarship directly on Johnston’s article was found in this search. For deeper context, see also anthologies of Emerson criticism and the Studies in the American Renaissance series.