PAUL’S AREOPAGUS SPEECH:A LESSON ON CREATION AS AN EVANGELISTIC TOOL
PAUL’S AREOPAGUS SPEECH: A LESSON ON CREATION AS AN EVANGELISTIC TOOL

Summary/Abstract: In his apologetic speech on the Mars’ Hill, the apostle Paul used largely the theme of creation. It wasn’t meant to be a lecture on creation per se, otherwise Paul would have contrasted his Jewish perspective with that of his audience. Rather, he used such an approach as an evangelistic tool. Whether the apostle used a pre-structured speech or simply delivered a spontaneous one we cannot know. What we know is that Paul looked for a common ground with his audience as a starting point in communication. This time, the common ground he landed on was the realm of natural revelation. But the theme of creation is also used as an argument for the common origin of humankind and God’s impartiality in his offer of salvation. The apostle’s aim was not to give the Athenian philosophers a lesson on creation but to proclaim the God of the Jewish faith and Jesus Christ. Nevertheless, his speech in the Areopagus stays as a lesson on how the theme of creation, or another theme for that matter, can be used to efficiently communicate the Gospel of Jesus Christ. To the postmodern reader, the apostle Paul is an excellent example of adaptability to various circumstances and atypical audiences.

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