Ralph Waldo Emerson’s speech is a theologically provocative assertion of how Transcendental beliefs can right the wrongs of what he calls “historical Christianity.” Emerson’s poetic language and argumentative structure aim to guide his audience—current and soon-to-be ministers of Unitarian congregations—to consider how they might leave the “uncertain and inarticulate voice” of the church and embrace their own God-given intuitions (11). He relies on historical evidence, his belief in self-divinity, and philosophical reasoning to deliver a message that was controversial among theologians. Additionally, he ends with a call to action for the graduating class, a call to which many in attendance took offense. The controversial aspects of the speech include Emerson’s assertion that Jesus is simply one of the prophets who commune with God, and that each man has the same access to the living God as Jesus and therefore should minister as a divine being.

Emerson’s goal is to balance philosophical truths with concrete applications for ministers and theologians. His primary theme is the Inherent Virtue of All Beings, which argues for the inherent divinity of man, a core tenet of Transcendentalism. His argument is a continuation of his primary thesis from Nature: Humanity is a part of nature, and by returning to it, they can reawaken the spiritual self.