--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It would be a serious mistake to think of…" description: "\"“It would be a serious mistake to think of Billy Graham or any other television revivalist as a latter-day Jonathan Edwards or Charles Finney. Edwards ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b4d/neil-postman-1598_failure_it-would-be-a-serious-mistake-to-think-o_2402008.jpg" --- # It would be a serious mistake to think of Billy Graham or… ![“It would be a serious mistake to think of Billy Graham or any other television revivalist as a latter-day Jonathan Edwards or Charles Finney. Edwards was one of the most brilliant and creative minds ever produced by America. His contribution to aesthetic theory was almost as important as his…” quote by Neil Postman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b4d/neil-postman-1598_failure_it-would-be-a-serious-mistake-to-think-o_2402008.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b4d/neil-postman-1598_failure_it-would-be-a-serious-mistake-to-think-o_2402008.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b4d/neil-postman-1598_failure_it-would-be-a-serious-mistake-to-think-o_2402008.jpg) > ““It would be a serious mistake to think of Billy Graham or any other television revivalist as a latter-day Jonathan Edwards or Charles Finney. Edwards was one of the most brilliant and creative minds ever produced by America. His contribution to aesthetic theory was almost as important as his contribution to theology. His interests were mostly academic; he spent long hours each day in his study. He did not speak to his audiences extemporaneously. He read his sermons, which were tightly knit and closely reasoned expositions of theological doctrine”” [Neil Postman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-postman/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Billy Graham’s televised revivalism differs from historic revivalists; his approach is more academic and scripted, lacking spontaneous extemporaneous preaching. **In simple terms:** Graham’s style is scripted, not spontaneous. Key Takeaway Recognize differences in preaching styles. Themes religion media communication history Mood critical analytical Type scholarly critical When to use this quote - church services - television evangelism - academic study of religion Key Concepts theology public discourse media influence Questions to Reflect On - What impact does media have on religious experience? - Can scripted preaching be as effective as spontaneous? A Different Perspective Scripted sermons may lack emotional immediacy. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Failure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/failure/) [Long hours](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/long-hours/) [Revivalist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/revivalist/) ## Related quotes > [Charles Finney, the great 19th-century revivalist and evangelical, would have had a hard time preaching a revival in America today. Finney's brand of evangelical…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthea-butler/charles-finney-the-great-19th-century-revivalist-and-evangelical/) [Anthea Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthea-butler/) > [“Almost every natural man that hears of hell, flatters himself that he shall escape it. JONATHAN EDWARDS”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-c-sproul-2/almost-every-natural-man-that-hears-of-hell-flatters-himself-that-he-2/) [R.C. Sproul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-c-sproul-2/) > [ \[Jonathan\] Edwards definitely shows up in the book \[Saving Calvinism\]. He appears as one of the interlocutors in the chapter on free will, the… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-d-crisp/jonathan-edwards-definitely-shows-up-in-the-book-saving-calvinism-he/) [Oliver D. Crisp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-d-crisp/) > [Jonathan Edwards is without a doubt the most brilliant mind America ever produced. I'm not talking about theologian; I'm talking about mind and everybody.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-warren/jonathan-edwards-is-without-a-doubt-the-most-brilliant-mind-america/) [Rick Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-warren/) > [ \[ Jonathan\] Edwards is one of my heroes. I've learned much from him over the years. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-d-crisp/jonathan-edwards-is-one-of-my-heroes-i-ve-learned-much-from-him-over/) [Oliver D. 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