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The Canon Under Fire. Two Falsehoods About the NT Canon. James Patrick Holding Tekton Apologetics Ministries http://www.tektonics.org. “Skeptics silenced…. rogues refuted.”. Falsehood #1. “It was thrown together by (take your pick)…”. Random chance The emperor Constantine
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The Canon Under Fire Two Falsehoods About the NT Canon James Patrick Holding Tekton Apologetics Ministries http://www.tektonics.org “Skeptics silenced…. rogues refuted.”
Falsehood #1 “It was thrown together by (take your pick)…” • Random chance • The emperor Constantine • The Council of Nicaea • Aliens from outer space (OK, I made that one up…)
What is a Canon? • A canon is a religion’s or organization’s collection of normative, sacred or important books • Canons are defined by authority (truth) and relevance
Factors in Canonization • Apostolic authority • Usage in the churches • The “rule of faith”
Process of Canonization • Precedent for a canon • The words of Jesus start the “canon ball” rolling • Heretics raised the need for a “canon wall”
Marcion: The Arch-Canonizer • Distanced the God of the NT from that of the OT • Created his own “canon” • Accelerated the canonical process
The Canonization Continues • Gospels and Paul’s letters as “mini-canons” • The making of lists • Candidates considered and discarded
Falsehood #2 “The contents are corrupted.” • “Books were included that should not have been.” • “Books were excluded that should not have been.”
The Facts About The “Fringe” • 20 of the 27 books were never questioned • 7 books were examined, then let in: 2 Peter Jude James Hebrews 2, 3 John Revelation
Open the Door and Let Us In? • Shepherd of Hermas • Epistle of Barnabas • 1 Clement • Gospel of the Egyptians
Further Reading http://www.tektonics.org/lp/ntcanon.html http://www.tektonics.org/lp/otcanon.html http://www.tektonics.org/qt/thomasgospel.html http://www.tektonics.org/garagesale.html