Have We Misunderstood Early Christian History? Responding to 3 Recent Scholarly Claims
Review: ‘After Jesus Before Christianity’ by Erin Vearncombe, Brandon Scott & Hal Taussig
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Do We Have the Right Books in Our Canon?
I was recently interviewed by Gavin Ortlund on his podcast: “Which Canon is the Right One?” Enjoy!
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Where Are All the Heretical Bishops in the Second Century?
I’ve noticed that Michael Bird has recently posted an article on heresy and orthodoxy in early Christianity. From what I can tell (I can’t see the entire article because it’s behind the paywall), he is pushing back against the popular narrative, originally suggested by Walter Bauer in his 1934 book Orthodoxy and Heresy in Earliest Christianity, which insists that Christianity was wildly diverse in the earliest centuries and that the heretics outnumbered the orthodox. It was not until the 3rd and 4th centuries, according to Bauer, that the orthodox began to turn the tide.
But I think there’s an additional way to test Bauer’s theory. Let’s ask a simple … Continue reading...
A Preview of What I Will Be Up To at ETS and SBL
Next week I will be headed to Dallas, and then to San Antonio, for the annual meetings of the Evangelical Theological Society (ETS) and Society of Biblical Literature (SBL)—two of the largest scholarly gatherings in the world. In addition to the normal meals, gatherings, and meeting with old friends, here’s a little preview of what I will be up to.
1. Time with the Executive Committee. As a former president of ETS (2019), I am still serving on the Executive Committee which now consists of Al Mohler, D.A. Carson, Timothy George, Gregg Allison, Sam Storms, David Dockery, and Craig Keener. And I should not forget to mention our … Continue reading...
How Difficult was the Book of Revelation’s Journey into the Canon?
The story of the New Testament canon is a fascinating one, with many twists and turns. There are books that were accepted very quickly, almost from the start (e.g., the four gospels), and there are other books that struggled to find a home (e.g., 2 Peter).
And then there is the book of Revelation.
Few today would contest the claim that the book of Revelation stands as one of the most controversial, complicated, and esoteric books in the New Testament canon. Perhaps it should come as no surprise, then, that its reception by the early church was equally complicated and controversial.
But, the story of the book of Revelation is … Continue reading...