A method for the calculation of resonance Raman cross sections is presented on the basis of calculation of structural differences between optimized ground and excited state geometries using density functional theory. A vibrational frequency calculation of the molecule is employed to obtain normal coordinate displacements for the modes of vibration. The excited state displacement relative to the ground state can be calculated in the normal coordinate basis by means of a linear transformation from a Cartesian basis to a normal coordinate one. The displacements in normal coordinates are then scaled by root-mean-square displacement of zero point motion to calculate dimensionless displacements for use in the two-time-correlator formalism for the calculation of resonance Raman spectra at an arbitrary temperature. The method is valid for Franck-Condon active modes within the harmonic approximation. The method was validated by calculation of resonance Raman cross sections and absorption spectra for chlorine dioxide, nitrate ion, trans-stilbene, 1,3,5-cycloheptatriene, and the aromatic amino acids. This method permits significant gains in the efficiency of calculating resonance Raman cross sections from first principles and, consequently, permits extension to large systems (>50 atoms).