Off to Denver for the Annual Meeting of the Evangelical Theological Society
Today, I am heading to Denver for the 70th meeting of the Evangelical Theological Society. ETS is one of the world’s largest gatherings of evangelical scholars. This year’s theme is “the Holy Spirit.”
As some of you may know, this year I am serving as the president-elect of the society (next year I am president) and thus I had the privilege of inviting all the plenary speakers. And we have a great lineup ahead.
Given the potential breadth of this year’s theme, the meeting has been designed to explore the Holy Spirit from multiple angles. Most naturally, of course, this theme will be studied from a theological perspective. But, … Continue reading...
Why We Can’t Unhitch from the Old Testament
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Edmon L. Gallagher and John D. Meade, The Biblical Canon Lists from Early Christianity: Texts and Analysis
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Is the Truth of the Bible Essential to the Christian Message? Engaging (Again) with Andy Stanley
There’s been a good bit of buzz lately about Andy Stanley’s recent interview with Jonathan Merritt. Stanley had already created a stir back in April when he said that Christians should “unhitch” themselves from the Old Testament, and this interview seems to be heading down the same tracks.
Needless to say, this recent interview has continued to fuel concerns about Stanley’s view of the Old Testament. Over the weekend, Al Mohler offered a response where he points out that the early church did not cut off the Old Testament, as can be seen in the disputes with the second-century heretic, Marcion.
But, I think the problem may be … Continue reading...
Why I Don’t Prefer the Phrase “Criteria of Canonicity”
If a person asks how we know which books belong in the NT canon (and which do not), they will often hear that the answer lies with the “criteria of canonicity.”
All we have to do, we are told, is simply look for books that meet these “criteria” and then we can know which books are in or out. What are these criteria? Typically things like apostolicity, orthodoxy, usage, age, etc.
Now, let me say there are a number of helpful things here. In particular, I agree that apostolicity is a key aspect of canon. However, I don’t prefer the concept of “criteria of canonicity” for a number of reasons:… Continue reading...