Were the New Testament Authors Aware of Their Own Authority?
Sometimes, even in the academic world, things get said so many times that people assume they are true. And when that happens, no one bothers to look at the historical evidence in a fresh way.
One example, which is fairly routine these days, is to assert that the New Testament authors certainly did not think they were writing Scripture, nor had any awareness of their own authority. Mark Allan Powell, in his New Testament introduction, affirms this view plainly, “The authors of our New Testament books did not know that they were writing scripture.”[1] Gamble takes the same approach, “None of the writings which belong to the NT was … Continue reading...
Is the New Testament Really Filled with Contradictory Theologies?
Perhaps no book in the history of the world has received as much scrutiny and criticism as the Bible. For generations, scholars have picked apart every aspect of this book: its history, its transmission, its veracity, its theology, its morality, etc. It has been criticized, ridiculed, mocked and condemned.
Those who are in the academic world—college students, grad students—feel this tension acutely. In fact, this is why I wrote my most recent book, Surviving Religion 101: Letters to a Christian Student on Keeping the Faith in College (Crossway, 2021).
However, in their haste to heap criticism on the Bible, occasionally critics offer arguments that actually prove to be inconsistent with … Continue reading...
Which Canon is Right? (Truth Unites)
… Continue reading... How the 2020 Presidential Election Helps Us Understand the Formation of the New Testament Canon
OK, I know what you’re thinking. You’re thinking that there may not be two more unrelated topics than the 2020 presidential election and the formation of the NT canon. Of all the things that we can learn from the trials and tribulations of this election cycle (and there are many), surely how the New Testament was formed is not one of them!
So, how in the world do these two things connect?
In brief, I think the presidential election cycle is a remarkably helpful analogy for understanding the different definitions of canon, and how those definitions help us understand the date of the canon. Let me try to explain.
When … Continue reading...
Looking for a Lay-Level Class on the Origins of the NT Canon? Here’s my 6-Part Video Series with @Ligonier
One of the most common questions I am asked is whether I have introductory, lay-level material on the origins of the NT canon that people can use in their churches. For small group Bible studies or Sunday School classes, most people simply won’t read Canon Revisited or any of my other books.
So, I point the reader to my recent video series with Ligonier where I give six introductory lectures on the origins and authority of the NT canon. My hope is that this will meet a need for churches looking to do something on canon but not knowing where to turn.
You can order the videos here in … Continue reading...