Parrēsia beyond humankind? Exploring the representation of the voice of creation in the Epistle to the Romans

Abstract

In this article, the notion of parrēsia, freedom of speech, is explored with regard to the voice of (non-human) nature in Paul’s Epistle to the Romans. Instances from chs. 1, 8, and 11 of this letter are discussed in interaction with both the broader discourse on parrēsia and the newer approach of “wild pedagogies” that focuses on allowing nature to speak for itself. The exegetical findings are sobering, as it becomes clear that Paul’s appeals to what can be conceptualised as the “voice of nature” in his letter are to be seen as his representation and rhetorical use of this voice primarily. This result can also serve as a reminder to be careful within the fields of eco-theology and eco-hermeneutics when it comes to appealing to the voice of nature without considering that it is often humans speaking for nature, rather than nature speaking for itself.