Paul in Athens: An Apologetic Model for Today

Despite its historical prominence in the church, apologetics used to be viewed with suspicion in many Christian circles. Today, however, we are experiencing an apologetic renaissance across the evangelical world. This is promising, as we are called to bear witness to Jesus Christ in our secular and pluralistic world. We always need to “be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks [us] to give the reason for the hope that [we] have” (1 Pet. 3:15). In order to be equipped, we naturally turn to the New Testament for inspiration and guidance. The most commonly used biblical model for apologetics is Paul’s Areopagus Speech in Acts 17:22-31. However, despite its huge popularity, this passage is often misunderstood or misapplied.