The Canon Under Fire Two Falsehoods About the NT Canon James Patrick Holding Tekton Apologetics Ministries “Skeptics silenced…. rogues refuted.”

Falsehood #1 “It was thrown together by (take your pick)…” 1)Random chance 2)The emperor Constantine 3)The Council of Nicaea 4)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

Constantine: The “Evil Emperor”?

Falsehood #2 “The contents are corrupted.” 1)“Books were included that should not have been.” 2)“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

If They Think They Can Do Better…There’s Always This:

Further Reading ml