The Public Performance of Paul in the Book of Acts as Demonstration of God’s Discriminating Love

PhD research that analyses the message for the implied audience of the book of Acts of Paul’s public performance as portrayed in this book, by looking at the spatial setting, script, words and gestures of Paul’s performance in relation to the various audiences and their responses. Paul’s performance is presented as response to the calling of the Lord, who sends salvation to the entire world. At the same time, Paul’s powerful performance often results in a division of the audience. Thus, God’s love appears to have a universal scope but is discriminating in its effectuation. Detailed analysis of Paul’s performance will contribute to understanding how God’s love discriminates in public space through the action of God’s messengers.