gary@sphinx.UChicago.UUCP (gary w buchholz) (08/20/85)
> = Glenn Scott >You have much more than just a book that asserts it was not written by >men... As far as the NT goes, it is not a book but a collection of writings. As regards what writings are in the canon and what writings are outside the canon such a decision (an accident really) was not made (it was forced by the Marcionite heresy) until 400 AD. Up to that point in time there were diverse canonical lists and they remained diverse simply because no one could find any real basis for inclusion or exclusion. What was in your particular canon was a matter of geography. Even after the canon was fixed the greatest church historian of the time (Eusebius) was unable to give justification for the content of the canon. Eusebius makes three lists - accepted writings, disputed writings and rejected writings. The writings listed as 'accepted' match our canon. The justification for inclusion was "they have been traditionally used". Now according to Glenn, the bible was not written by men. I interpret this as meaning that Glenn wishes to imply that it was written by God. If the "bible" (<-this is now a problematic term) is written by God then here must lie the criteria of canonical inclusion that Eusebius and all other apologists and theologians of the first few centuries missed. That is, each writing in the canon must contain the mark, or, signature of God. Glenn, where is this "signature" of God that will allow us to check the decision of the early Christians (as they said they knew no principle of selection) such that we may distinguish "Scripture" from apocrypha ? Where in Matthews gospel does it say that it was written by God, or that it was inspired by the Holy Spirit ? Where in Matthews gospel does it say that it is "inerrant" or that it in some way transcends the limited interpretive categories (now obsolete) of its age ? Do any of the other gospels claim that they are written by God ? Are the individual writings the Word of God because they are in the canon or are they in the canon because they are the Word of God. If it is the later case it should be easy for you to tell us by what mark or "signature" we can identify such writings. Glenn, one more thing... >You have much more than just a book that asserts it was not written >by men.... >It was written over a period of 1500 years and by all sorts of >authors. Who are "all sorts of authors" who are not men ? Gary