Abstract
In 20th century Germany, theologian Paul Tillich witnessed the religious and political crises of his time, and he recognized the need for action at the appropriate time. Out of this rhetorical situation, he adopted the classical concept of kairos, which permeated his life and work. I argue that Tillich’s notion of kairos presents three new dimensions: the existential, the demonic, and the extension of the present into the future. Although he believed that his work only spoke to the “kairos of his time,” Tillich continues to address us today, urging us to seize the kairos of our own time, and challenging rhetorical theorists to rethink the notion of kairos.