Tuesday, October 23, 2007

Logos, Pathos, and Ethos

Leadership Journal, Summer 2007
Is PowerPoint Fading?
Interview with Leith Anderson, pastor,
Wooddale Church in Eden Prairie, Minnesota
http://www.christianitytoday.com/le/2007/003/21.37.html

Aristotle's classic teaching suggests the three components of effective communication are logos, which is "word" or "truth"; pathos, which is "passion"; and ethos, which is "character." The best communicating is done by a person of good character, well spoken, telling the truth.

If someone tells the truth but is not passionate about it, or if someone passionately says something true but lacks character, the message is undermined. All three ingredients are essential.

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