Ethos As A Speaker And Speaker: Louie Giglio

Honest. Trustworthy. Experienced. Fair. These are all characteristics of ethos that great communicators strive to achieve. Well known speaker and pastor, Louie Giglio has honed the art of ethos by perfecting each of these characteristics. Although I have not perfected ethos in my writing, I strive to emulate the way in which Louie Giglio communicates to his audience. In addition to his staggering credentials, Louie Giglio is able to establish ethos in his speaking by the fair tone he uses to honestly relate to his audience.

Ethos is a critical factor in any type of communication, whether it is written or spoken. In essence, ethos is the credibility or ethical appeal that a speaker or writer conveys to their audience. There are numerous

Louie Giglio is able to establish ethos before he even begins speaking, due to his reputation. Reputation refers to the audience’s knowledge of your understanding of a subject ("What Is Ethos and Why Is It Critical for Speakers?"). Giglio has established a solid reputation due to his educational background. Giglio received a Masters of Divinity at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, and then furthered his educational experience at Grace Theological Seminary where he received a Doctorate of Ministry and through his work in various forms of ministry (“Louie Giglio Biography”). Louie Giglio’s ministry began when he led a Bible study at Baylor University. It was through teaching this Bible study, which ten percent of the student population attended, that Giglio realized his calling to minister to young adults and college students (“Louie Giglio Biography”). Giglio then started Passion conferences, which has allowed him to minister to over one million students since its creation. This ministry then led to the start of a church. In 2008 Louie Giglio felt led to start Passion City Church, where he now serves as pastor. Through his prior experiences in ministry and his extensive educational background, Giglio’s audience will feel confident that he is competent to speak to

Instead, I must consciously take steps to build ethos solely through my writing. Since I do not have a reputation such as Giglio, I must establish credibility through research, which helps to strengthens my ethical appeal. In my essays, “The Power of Pathos, Ethos, and Logos in Writing” and “America’s Latest Epidemic,” I used databases, peer reviewed journals, and books in order to find reliable data that I could then reference when conveying my information to my audience. Another way I can establish ethos is though a fair tone. Although this may be difficult to establish in writing, it can be done by not only stating your views on a subject, but by also stating a counterargument and not ruling out the viewpoints of others. I was able to do this in my essay, “America’s Latest Epidemic,” when I discussed how society and the lifestyle of children causes childhood obesity, but acknowledged the counterargument that some believe genes are to blame for the United States’ obesity epidemic (6). By acknowledging other viewpoints, I am be able to gain the respect of my audience which will build my character and credibility as a