Issues, Etc. Protreptics: Speech Designed to Instruct and Persuade – Dr. Chad Kendall, 3/27/26 (0861)
Mar 27, 2026
Dr. Chad Kendall, theology professor and former pastor with a PhD in protreptics, explores persuasive Christian speech rooted in Greek and early church practice. He highlights logos, pathos, and ethos. He traces historical practitioners, examines narrative techniques like Paul at Mars Hill, and shows practical, relational ways to invite others toward Christian truth.
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Protreptics Is Life-Shaping Dialogue
- Protreptics is an ancient rhetorical approach that invites someone to a higher way of life by dialogue, not just evidential argumentation.
- It emphasizes logos, pathos, and ethos so teaching shapes how one lives, not only what one thinks.
Early Church Reclaimed Truth From Philosophers
- Early Christian apologists like Clement and Athanasius used protreptics to recover 'grains of truth' taken by other philosophies.
- They argued older scriptural sources (Moses, Christ) undergirded later philosophers' insights.
Four Defining Features Of Protreptic Dialogue
- Four features make protreptics distinct: dialogical, agonistic, situational, and rhetorical.
- It borrows the competitor's voice, tests their philosophy, adapts to context, and uses narrative questioning to persuade.
