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Ralph Waldo Emerson · English Literature

Emerson's 1838 'Divinity School Address' was controversial primarily because it:

  1. Argued that the church should be abolished as a tax-exempt civic institution
  2. Denied the necessity of historical Christianity's miracles and doctrines
  3. Proposed that the Bible be rewritten in modern English
  4. Suggested that women be allowed to lead congregations
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Correct answer: Denied the necessity of historical Christianity's miracles and doctrines

Emerson argued that the 'intuition of the moral sentiment' was more important than biblical miracles or historical doctrines. This led to a backlash from the Harvard faculty, and he was not invited back for thirty years.

Difficulty: Medium Question 13 of 20

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