The Gospel in the Marketplace of Ideas: Paul's Mars Hill Experience for Our Pluralistic World
Digital Logos Edition
Overview
Our world is multicultural, multireligious, multiphilosophical. It ranges from fundamental monotheism to do-it-yourself spirituality to strident atheism. How can Christians engage in communicating across worldviews in this pluralistic and often relativistic society? When Paul visited Athens, he found an equally multicultural and multireligious setting. From Jews to Gentiles, elite to poor, slaves to slave owners, from olive-skinned Gentiles to dark-skinned Ethiopians—the Greco-Roman world was a dynamic mix. Religious practices were also wide and varied, with the imperial cult of emperor worship being the most prominent. Many also frequented the temples for the traditional Greek pantheon, and participated in the secret rituals of the mystery religions. Seeking to embolden the church's witness in today's society, philosopher Paul Copan and New Testament scholar Kenneth Litwak show how Paul's speech to the Athenians (found in Acts 17) provides a practical model for Christians today. They uncover the cultural and religious background of this key episode in the apostle?s career and they encourage believers to winsomely challenge the idols of our time to point contemporary Athenians to Christ.
Top Highlights
“So there are three elements of the speeches in Acts that should be kept in mind. First, the speeches in Acts not only give the gist of what each speaker said and present Luke’s understanding of the Way, but they also provide templates or models to imitate when the members of Luke’s audience present the gospel to their neighbors. Second, the various recorded speeches show that the preaching of the gospel was presented by followers of Jesus the Messiah in ways that would be the most meaningful to their audiences. Third, in general, there was a mixed response to preaching.” (Page 72)
“First, its view of reality (metaphysics) is that matter is all that exists. Second, its view of causes/causation (etiology) is that all events are physically determined by prior physical events going all the way back to the Big Bang. And third, its view of knowledge (epistemology) is that knowledge is only (or is best) acquired through the scientific method. So, scientism expresses the epistemological aspect of naturalism.” (Page 60)
“We can no longer rely (if we ever could rely) upon other people understanding our ‘Christianese,’ or believing anything other than caricatures of what committed, orthodox Christians believe. We cannot expect unbelievers to learn our ideas first so that they can understand us. We need to go to them, learn what they think and find ways to present them with the truths of the gospel in ways that will be meaningful to them.” (Page 16)
“Paul was chiding the Corinthians for their spiritual pride and puffed-up, misguided wisdom. Paul didn’t oppose rational argument or the use of the mind. Paul was opposing human pride and self-sufficiency. The word of the cross is folly not because it is irrational or illogical, but it strikes at the heart of human pride and boasting in this-worldly achievements.” (Page 23)