1. Christianity 1 D
The Bible as a source of wisdom and authority: How the Christian biblical canon was established.
Diverse views on the Bible as the word of God: different understandings of inspiration (the objective view of inspiration;
the subjective view of inspiration;
John Calvin’s doctrine of accommodation)

2. Recap What is the focus of Matthew’s birth narrative?
What is the focus of Luke’s birth narrative?
What does redaction mean?
What does incarnation mean?
What is the word used to mean ‘self emptying’?
How did Bultmann interpret Jesus’s resurrection?
Why did Wright claim Jesus must have had a physical resurrection?
Give one reason for the early Christian belief in resurrection?
Explain St Paul’s ideas about the resurrected body.
Give one way the Bible is authoritative as a source of moral advice.

3. Watch the video
by+3+Minute+Theology+from+Youtube.mp4&view=detail&mid=020D 03905D032A6E16BA020D03905D032A6E16BA&FORM=VIRE
Create a brief visual summary of the books of the Bible
Canon – Greek word meaning ‘rule’ or ‘measuring stick’

4. + Hebrew Scriptures TaNaKh (in Hebrew) Torah (5books of Moses)
Torah & Nevi’im written during and after Babylonian Exile 6th BC, after Temple lost 6th BCE. But Writings not authoritative until early AD
Jesus knew Torah, Prophets, Psalms. Jewish historian Josephus, 1AD, mentions Torah, Prophets and four other books.
Hebrew Scriptures TaNaKh (in Hebrew)
Torah (5books of Moses)
Nevi’im (Prophetic books)
Ketuvim (Wisdom books)
Brought together as a single text after return from B. Exile.
St.Jerome
translates Septuagint/ Jewish Scriptures, New Testament into Latin C4thAD
= VULGATE
New Testament (in Greek)
4 gospels
Letters of Paul & other apostles
Book of Revelation
(other, apocryphal writings of NT era were not accepted into NT canon eg Gospel of Peter, Shepherd of Hermas)
Translated into Greek C3rdBC by 70 scribes
= SEPTUAGINT
This is the Scripture Jesus would have known. +
Apocrypha
(Greek conquest period, BC) Wisdom (Job, Tobit, Jonah, Ecclesiasticus, Bk of Wisdom); Maccabees
Protestants, like Jews, consider Apocrypha to be additions to the Jewish canon, that do not have same authority or divine inspiration as the other writings (written in Greek, not Hebrew, in Greek influenced culture). They are not part of the Protestant list of OT books, but may be included as “inter-testamental” books.
Catholics believe the Apocrypha are fully and equally inspired, but as additions to the first original list of books, they are deutero-canonical – belonging to a “second” canon.
NT contains 27books, OT contains 39 or 46 (7 Apocryphal)

5. Look at the lists of books in the OT Of different Bibles.
What differences can you find in:
books included/ excluded
order of books
Why are they in this order? It is not chronological –
eg in Hebrew Scriptures, Ruth, though referring to early events in Jewish history, placed after the “late” Song of Solomon.
eg in Catholic OT, Neh/ Chronicles placed before minor prophets, even though written later
Hebrew Scriptures
Contain…
don’t contain…
order…
OT Catholic Bible
Contain…
don’t contain…
order…
OT Protestant Bible
Contain…
don’t contain…
order…
- Ends minor prophets & Maccabees (rebellion against Greek rule & persecution: these books look forward to Prophet Elijah announcing liberation and restoration of a new world order : NT begins with John Baptist..
Apocrypha - Greek writings (Tobit, Judith, Maccabees, Wisdom, Baruch, Sirach, additions to Daniel & Esther) Jerome rejected these as not in Hebrew text, but other Church Fathers, including Augustine, accepted them.
Apocrypha are deutero-canonical– fully, equally inspired, but additions to original canon
Ends minor prophets
rejects Apocrypha
(aka inter-testamental collection, - may be included in a separate section of Protestant bibles)
E.g. Luther rejected Maccabees 2:12 as it lends support to the Catholic idea of Purgatory, which he rejected (undermines justification by faith)
Ends Nehemiah/ Chronicles
–chronologically correct.
- in Neh/ Chron. is Israel has returned from exile and is focused on rebuilding the nation.
No Apocrypha – Greek writings, not Hebrew, in Greek culture
Order reflects importance: covenant & law. Prophets recall the people to following the Covenant. Writings advice on how to live.
Some books follow other books because believed to be by same author eg Jeremiah, Lamentations.

6. Establishing the Canon
Canon means “measuring rule”
the Canon of Scripture, means the list of books that are authoritative for correct faith in God.
other writings and ideas must be “measured” against the canonical status of the biblical texts
How did the Jews decide which books to include as canonical (C6th BCE)?
if they were recognised by a wide variety of Jews in different locations, to be important in supporting their Jewish faith and practice.
the key revelation is the law given to Moses – the Torah - “the canon within the canon”
the books thought to be written by Moses, are canonical (Genesis, Exodus)
the books of the Law given to Moses are canonical (Numbers, Leviticus, Deuteronomy)
those that were still in existence !
other books eg Prophets, Writings were included if they supported the teachings of the Torah eg recalled people to proper observation of the Torah

7. How the Christian biblical canon was established
Keith Ward (Religion and Revelation)
Identified four stages in the development of canonical writings
Primary experience – prophets and holy ones reflecting on their own religious experiences
Primary witnesses – presentation of the visions, prayers and teachings of prophets
Theological redaction – communities evolving rites, festivals, creeds and traditions – seek to encourage participation and commitment to the wisdom of the prophets
Canonical definition – religious community identifies a core set of truths – key to the identity of the religious tradition. These teachings are then given authority.

8. How the Bible came together
Early Jewish believers already had scripture – (the Old Testament) which contained the Law of Moses, the Prophets and Psalms (Luke 24:44). Outside the Holy Land some Jews also had the Septuagint – translated in Egypt, it also includes the Apocrypha. The Apocrypha was rejected by the Protestant churches and accepted by the Roman Catholic Church at the Council of Trent in
Early Christian meeting included readings from the Old Testament

9. How the Bible came together
3. The Apostles travelled – they spoke and taught at church services. They wrote letters which were read in services and then copied and shared with other religious communities. Justin Martyr (150CE) in the 2nd Century after Jesus said that memoirs of the Apostles and the Gospels were being read in services.

10. How the Bible came together
4. Two controversies - Marcion and Montanus Marcion – rejected some parts of the Old Testament and some Gospels and some of St Paul’s letters Montanus – called for a new prophecy and claimed Jesus had been superceeded by the Holy Spirit. These controversies pushed the church to decide on a fixed canon of scripture

11. How the Bible came together
2. God confirmed the authority of His spokesperson through miracles e.g. in Exodus 4 Moses is given miraculous powers to confirm his call. In 2 Corinthians Paul teaches a sign of an apostle is ‘signs, wonders and miracles’ 3. It has to be in agreement with other books and historical accuracy is important. 4. It needs to have an inner sense from God. 5. This means initial acceptance by the people whom the book was addressed to e.g. Daniel called the book of Jeremiah ‘Scripture’ and Paul called the Gospel of Luke ‘Scripture’ in 1 Timothy 5:18
Spurred on by these dilemmas the church developed a list of canonical books using the following guidelines –
Was the book inspired by a prophet of God?
Was the writer confirmed by acts of God?
Does the message tell the truth about God?
Did it come from the power of God?
Was it accepted by God’s people?

12. Muratorian Fragment
A fragment of writing discovered by Muratori in the Vatican archive in It dates from 190CE, the fragment includes the following ‘third book of the Gospels is Luke’ It also lists – John, Acts, all of Paul’s letters, James, 1 and 2 John, Jude and the Revelation of John, also the Revelation of Peter, the wisdom of Soloman and (to be used in private) the Shephard of Hermas.

13. How the Bible came together
By the early 3rd Century only a few books of the New Testament were still in question. Eusebius – a church historian of the 4th Century records that James, 2 Peter 2 and 3, John and Jude were the only books spoken against. Athanasius – bishop of Alexandria in 367 CE wrote an Easter letter that contained all 27 books of the present New Testament – canonical and inspired and therefore official scripture. 393 – Synod of Hippo – affirmed the current New Testament 397 – Council of Carthage published the same list of books The Church says it didn’t develop the canon, God did that by inspiring its writing and overseeing its preservation.

14. NT Canon of Books 1. Letters of Paul AD50-70 long eg Romans
short eg Galatians
to Churches eg to the Corinthians, Thessalonians
to individuals eg to Timothy, Philemon
2. Book of Revelation – a prophetic, richly symbolic book, concerning persecutions of Christians, growth of Churches & second coming of Christ
3. Gospels: Mark 70AD, Mt, Lk (80-90AD), John (100AD)
4. Letters of other apostles, or ascribed to disciples of apostles
Letter of James
Letters of Peter
Letters of John
5. Other, non-apostolic letters
Letter to the Hebrews
Jude
NT Canon of Books
NT writings began with the letters of St. Paul, as the earliest.
Shepherd of Hermas not heretical, but not accepted as Canon (apocryphal).
Marcion – denounced as a heretic, for rejecting the OT
Gospel of Philip, Gospel of Judas – heretical (Mary was “the companion of the saviour” and Judas was really a good guy).
Revelation – widely accepted by early Church fathers, on account of its author (believed to be apostle John) but later challenged. Accepted into the canon only late.
Hebrews also only late, as authorship unknown – apostolic?
Time for Canon to be established: Faith first spreads orally, through apostles, their disciples (Church Fathers) – who only begin to die out 4th century. So then makes sense to decide on which are the definitive writings that these Christians relied on – C4th. Widespread agreements before then (Muratorian canon).

15. In summary Why the establishment of the canon occurred.
There was a growing need to establish a set body of literature as authoritative to combat heretical sects that claimed to possess secret knowledge about Jesus or salvation.
In the first three centuries there were many writings accepted by different groups of Christians. But gradually they accepted a core group of texts which all churches valued
In establishing the early creeds e.g. Nicene in 325 CE, theological reflection on a ‘core’ set of beliefs was encouraged
The adoption of Christianity by Constantine (Emperor) in 312 CE, encouraged the trend to identify a specific body of Scripture

16. Summary of the establishment of the Biblical canon
Keith Ward – holy books
Bible

17. The Bible ‘is’ the word of God
The Bible is identical to God – both the Old and New Testaments
2 Timothy 3:16 ‘All scripture inspired by God’
Jesus was speaking words given from God the Father – John 8:26
Certain people have been given the gift of the Holy Spirit.
The Bible ‘contains’ the word of God
The Bible contains doctrines or beliefs and guidance on rituals
Some passages of the Bible are more important that others
May include the idea that God continues to speak to believers e.g. through nature
Diversity of perspectives concerning the status of Biblical authority within Christian communities
The Bible reveals the word of God
The Bible was inspired by the Holy Spirit and reveals God’s words
Some sections are more significant than others.
This view allows for historical and literary critical perspective and spiritual and mystical understanding.
Experiences recorded in the Bible offer spiritual insight to people today e.g. those suffering and facing injustice.
The Bible as ‘sacrament’
A sacrament is a holy mystery – a gift from God.
Hearing the words of the Bible can be connected to a sacramental gift.

18. Different understandings of inspiration
In the modern word inspiration means a stimulus of the intellect or emotions.
In connection to the Bible inspiration is ‘supernatural divine influence on the prophets, apostles, or sacred writers, by which they were qualified to communicate truth without error; a supernatural influence which qualifies men to receive and communicate divine truth’ Webster.
The objective view of inspiration is direct revelation by God of who he is through accounts of God's intervention and activity and work as revealed to the writers of the Bible. It is objective since it doesn't rely on us working it out etc. God tells us. Hence reflected in propositional revelation (the words of God). The significance is that the Bible is indeed the word of God and is reliable (some variance amongst theologians as to the exact extent it is reliable). 
The subjective refers to the Bible more as the story of human beings searching for God, trying to encapsulate their understanding and experiences. The Bible reflects their search and understanding and attempts to express it through stories and events and people's experiences. Hence the expression of the conclusions of this inspiration is more in terms of non-propositional (the interpretation of events and words).

19. Different understandings of inspiration https://biblhttp://www
Different understandings of inspiration e.org/seriespage/1-bible-inspired-word-god
Objective – factual/ not interpreted
Propositional view
Subjective – personal/ interpreted
Non-propositional view
The way things are in reality The Bible contains divine truths The bible is God’s direct word and is inerrant as there can be no theological historical or cultural error. They would therefore stay clear of any form of biblical criticism. The Bible is dictated as each word was deliberately inspired by God through the Holy Spirit’s guidance of the writers. However most literalist groups will accept that the bible does not simply contain history-it also contains poetry and allegory. But where a text can be interpreted as recording history a literalist will always view it as such. Also bible literature was written 2000yrs ago and assumes some of the values of 2000yrs ago. Biblical literalists have to decide whether to re-interpret certain statements in the light of today’s commonly held assumptions. This has lead to radical differences in practice in practice.
The subjective view is that the Bible records the experiences of people seriously seeking after God in their own lives, situations and cultures. They are not inspired and authoritative in themselves and neither are they inerrant. Indeed, a liberal theologian would feel free to make judgements on the practice and attitudes found in the Bible. Therefore they believe that the bible must be interpreted and that it cannot contain facts. However they do believe that it is meaningful and does correspond to an objective reality.
It is the duty of individuals to weigh what is found in the Bible and apply it, if appropriate, to their own lives as they seek in their path after God. The essential difference between this view and the last two is that there is no perceived need for a total community response (e.g. the church) to all parts of the Bible. The assumption is that the individual response is what counts.
Schleiermacher – ‘feeling of absolute dependence’ is revelation from God.
The Bible is an outcome of human reflections on personal inner experience and their feelings for God.

20. Calvin’s view of accommodation
John Calvin – protestant reformer – Calvin was not the first theologian to discuss the idea of accommodation, it has a long history from ancient Jewish writers to Augustine. Accommodation is a theological doctrine or idea. It states that Scripture has accommodated, or made allowances for, the original audiences language and general level of understanding. God accommodates Himself to the human capacities of those to whom biblical revelation is given

21. The extent to which the Bible can be regarded as the inspired word of God.
Some ideas to include – which argument do they support?
The Bible contains many genres – many are not intended to be facts
Calvin, the Bible is inerrant and any errors are the deliberate choice of the author to enable the reader to understand
II Timothy 3:16 the Bible is ‘God-breathed’
Athenagoras – God wrote the Bible as ‘a flautist blows into a flute.’
Origen, human authors were aware of God’s inspiration but they could express their own views
Differences in birth narratives
Barth, Jesus is the inspired word of God, not the Bible
The objective view of Biblical inspiration
God used humans as stenographers ‘plenary verbal inspiration’
God spoke to the prophets and others e.g. Moses
An analysis of the meaning of ‘author’ in the ancient world – it could also mean ‘producer’. Scribes were more than stenographers
Using your further reading create an essay plan for this question. ‘The Bible is the inspired word of God.’ What does inspired word of God mean? Can there be different views of the inspired word of God? What are they? How do some Christians see the Bible as the inspired word of God? What evidence do they are use? Do any scholars support this viewpoint? How do some scholars reject the view that the Bible is the inspired word of God? What evidence do they are use? Conclusion – answer the question - The extent to which the Bible can be regarded as the inspired word of God.

22. Responses to the challenge that the Canonical Order was not divinely inspired
Widespread agreements
Muratorian Canon
Order and books included varies
Some books seem to be “more inspired” than others
Canon decided late, following disagreements
No urgency in deciding the Canon – because widespread agreements
God works through the Church as well (Catholic view: Scripture + tradition)
Plenary Verbal Inspiration
Heretical teachings quickly rejected
Disputes centred on authorship, not content

23. Whether the Christian biblical canonical orders are inspired, as opposed to just the texts they contain.
What is the biblical canon? What does inspired mean in the context of the Bible? How could Christian biblical canon orders be inspired? How could the texts be inspired?