Comparing Self-Reliance In Emerson's Sermons And

In “Self-Reliance in Emerson’s Sermons and Essays”, John Ronan pursues the substantiated claim that much of Emerson’s philosophy in Self Reliance is founded upon his Unitarian origin as a minister in Boston. To warrant such a claim, Ronan repeatedly evaluates the content of Emerson’s early sermons from Boston’s Second Church. Utilizing these sermons to logically bind them to the contents of Emerson’s later philosophical work. Drawing upon the dominant themes of self-reliance and individualism found in Emerson’s philosophical work, Ronan is able to effectively showcase these same dominant themes in Emerson’s early homilies. When conveying his writing’s purpose, Ronan largely succeeds, thoroughly validating his stance with the abundant utilization of logical appeal.
Throughout this skillfully crafted article, one of the most profound ways in which Ronan justifies his stance is through the basis of accepted Unitarian theology. This theology, as Ronan states, “rejects the fundamental Calvinist tenets of predestination and the innate depravity of man” (Ronan).

Regardless, Ronan does underuse Emerson’s philosophical work, which proves to be a principal contributor to its most glaring logical fallacies. Be that as it may, Ronan’s article does a great deal in alluding to the inherent truth contained in the philosophy of self-reliance. Shining a detailed light on the transcendence and applicability of this truth into seemingly incompatible lifestyles such as Christianity. It exposes the true nature of life, where one can accept it as it is or run away to the societal constructs built atop fundamental truth of self. The core concept of Emerson’s philosophy does not reject the spiritual lifestyle of Christianity, rather it embraces that lifestyle’s teachings for its foundational message of self-reliance and resilient