The Ethics of Evangelism: A Podcast Conversation with Elmer Thiessen

While evangelism is a priority for many Christians, we tend to give little attention to the ethics related to it. In our day there are charges of predatory proselytism, abuses of friendship for evangelistic purposes, and the idea that religious exclusivism equals supremacism. In video podcast I have a conversation with Elmer Thiessen, Adjunct Professor of Philosophy at Emmanuel Bible College. He is the author of The Ethics of Evangelism: A Philosophical Defense of Proselytizing and Persuasion (IVP Academic, 2011), and The Scandal of Evangelism: A Biblical Study of the Ethics of Evangelism (Cascade Books, 2018). During our conversation we define evangelism and related terms, the ethics of evangelism, bring some critique to some Christian evangelistic efforts, and discuss the relationship between evangelism and tolerance. Our video podcast can be viewed here, and is also available on the Multi-faith Matters podcast page.

In addition to Thiessen’s books on this subject, readers will also benefit from reading “Christian Witness in a Multi-Religious World: Recommendations for Conduct,” a document put together after discussions among the World Evangelical Alliance, the World Council of Churches, and the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue. A PDF of that document is available at the bottom of the page at this link.