Apologetics - The Poached Egg

Interview with Michael Kruger on the Canon of Scripture [Podcast] | Think Christianly

Midweek Apologetics Hit and Misc: Naturalism on the Rocks

Intelligent Faith 315: Fine Tuning and Physical Necessity

Stephen Colbert argues the existence of God! | TheMinistryRookie.com

Truthbomb Apologetics: Proof That God Exists

Why would a good God allow people to suffer? | Wintery Knight

Logic, Reason, and the Laws of Logic: Definitions and A Christian Theistic Exposition

Confronting Atheism on the Advance | Christian Apologetics Alliance

Questions a Christian Should ask a Pugnacious Atheist

Naturalism on the Rocks | Every Thought Captive

3 reasons to read “Darwin’s Doubt”, the sequel to Signature in the Cell | Wintery Knight

How Can I Be Prepared To Defend My Faith?

Stand to Reason Blog: Why Is a Good God More Plausible Than an Evil God? (Video)

'Like' The Poached Egg on Facebook!

Issues Facing Christians Today

MIDWEEK RECOMMENDED APOLOGETICS RESOURCES ROUNDUP:

Why It Doesn't Matter What You Believe If It's Not True: Is There Absolute Truth?

True for You, But Not for Me: Overcoming Objections to Christian Faith

True Reason: Christian Responses to the Challenge of Atheism

Is Your Church Ready?: Motivating Leaders to Live an Apologetic Life

Arguing with Friends: Keeping your friends and your convictions

Relational Apologetics: Defending the Christian Faith with Holiness, Respect, and Truth

THANK YOU FOR FOLLOWING US ON:

Shop at Amazon and help support The Poached Egg or donate now!

Posted on 04/17/2013 in Answers for Skeptics, Apologetics, Atheism, Canon of Scripture, Critical Thinking, Evil & Suffering, God, Hit & Misc. Apologetics, Interviews, Philosophy, Videos | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

04/08/2013

Ten Basic Facts about the NT Canon that Every Christian Should Memorize: #5: "The Four Gospels are Well Established by the End of the Second Century"

Ten Basic Facts about the NT Canon that Every Christian Should Memorize: #5: “The Four Gospels are Well Established by the End of the Second Century”

by Michael Kruger

Note: This is the fifth installment of a blog series announced here.

When it comes to basic facts about the NT canon that Christians should memorize, one of the most critical is the statement by Irenaeus, bishop of Lyons, around A.D. 180: “It is not possible that the gospels can be either more or fewer than the number they are. For, since there are four zones of the world in which we live and four principle winds… [and] the cherubim, too, were four-faced.”[1]

Here Irenaeus not only affirms the canonicity the four gospels, but is keen to point out that only these four gospels are recognized by the church. Indeed, Irenaeus is so certain that the canon of the gospels is closed that he can argue that it is entrenched in the very structure of creation—four zones of the world, four principle winds, etc.

In an effort to minimize the implications of Irenaeus’ statement, some scholars have suggested that only Irenaeus held this view. He is thus portrayed as lonely, isolated, innovator who is trying to break into new and uncharted territory. This whole idea of a fourfold gospel, we are told, was invented by Irenaeus.

'Like' The Poached Egg on Facebook!

FOLLOW THE LINK BELOW TO CONTINUE READING >>>

But, does this Irenaeus-as-innovator approach fit the facts? Not really. There are several considerations that raise doubts about it:

1. Irenaeus’ own writings. When Irenaeus talks about the fourfold gospel in his writings, he gives no indication that he is presenting a new idea, or that he is asking the reader to consider a new concept. On the contrary, he speaks in a manner that assumes the reader knows and follows these same gospels. He speaks of them naturally and unapologetically. In short, Irenaeus does not write like a person advocating the scriptural status of these books for the first time…

Ten Basic Facts about the NT Canon that Every Christian Should Memorize: #5: “The Four Gospels are Well Established by the End of the Second Century” | Canon Fodder

RECOMMENDED APOLOGETICS RESOURCES FOR FURTHER READING:

Canon Revisited: Establishing the Origins and Authority of the New Testament Books

Who Chose the Gospels?: Probing the Great Gospel Conspiracy

Shop at Amazon and help support The Poached Egg or donate now!

Posted on 04/08/2013 in Answers for Skeptics, Apologetics, Canon of Scripture, Early Christianity, History | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

04/03/2013

Midweek Apologetics Hit and Misc: Harmonizing the Gospel Accounts of the Resurrection

Dan Barker's Easter Challenge Answered: Harmonizing the Gospel Accounts of the Resurrection

Harmonizing the Gospel Accounts of the Resurrection

N.T. Wright lectures on the resurrection of Jesus: did Jesus rise from the dead? | Wintery Knight

He is risen! Exploring the truths of the resurrection of Jesus: Baptist Messenger of Oklahoma

Review of Did Adam and Eve Really Exist? Who they were and why you should care - Servants of Grace

Willian Lane Craig on Emergent, PostModernity, and Current Apologetics « No Longer Be Children

Interview with Michael Kruger on the Canon of Scripture [Podcast] | Think Christianly

'Like' The Poached Egg on Facebook!

Stand to Reason Blog: Can a Non-Physical Being Affect the Physical World?

Come Reason's Apologetics Notes: Let's not be diverse for diversity's sake

Chain Mail Apologetics | Saved To Be Changed

Contending for Easter | Hope's Reason

Christian Arguments Against Atheism | Share Faith

The Valley Girl Apologist: ISWA University!

MIDWEEK RECOMMENDED APOLOGETICS RESOURCES ROUNDUP:

Tearing Down Strongholds: And Defending the Truth

A World of Difference: Putting Christian Truth-Claims to the Worldview Test

The Bible among the Myths: Unique Revelation or Just Ancient Literature?

The Apologetics of Jesus: A Caring Approach to Dealing with Doubters

Thinking About God: First Steps in Philosophy

7 Truths That Changed the World: Discovering Christianity's Most Dangerous Ideas

Why Trust Jesus?: An Honest Look at Doubts, Plans, Hurts, Desires, Fears, Questions, and Pleasures

THANK YOU FOR FOLLOWSING US ON:

Shop at Amazon and help support The Poached Egg or donate now!

Posted on 04/03/2013 in Answers for Skeptics, Apologetics, Atheism, Bible Study Zone, Books & Bibles, Canon of Scripture, Christian Worldview, Hit & Misc. Apologetics, Interviews, Learning & Applying Apologetics, New Testament, Resurrection of Jesus, Videos, William Lane Craig | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

03/14/2013

Ten Basic Facts about the NT Canon that Every Christian Should Memorize #4: Some NT Writers Quote Other NT Writers as Scripture

Ten Basic Facts about the NT Canon that Every Christian Should Memorize #4: Some NT Writers Quote Other NT Writers as Scripture

by Michael Kruger

One of the most controversial issues in the study of the New Testament canon is the date when these books were regarded as Scripture. When were these books first used as an authoritative guide for the church? Critical scholars will argue that these books were not written to be Scripture and were not even used as Scripture until the end of the second century.

But one of the most basic facts that Christians should know is that some New Testament writers actually quote other New Testament writers as Scripture. This demonstrates that the concept of a new corpus of biblical books was not a late development, but one that seems to be present in the earliest stages of Christianity.

'Like' The Poached Egg on Facebook!

Ten Basic Facts about the NT Canon that Every Christian Should Memorize: #4: “Some NT Writers Quote Other NT Writers as Scripture” | Canon Fodder

The most obvious example of this phenomenon is 2 Pet 3:15-16 where Peter refers to Paul’s letters “Scripture” on par with the books of the Old Testament. It is noteworthy that Peter mentions multiple letters of Paul, indicating that he was aware of some sort of collection. And, even more importantly, he assumes his audience is aware of this collection as well. There is no indication that the scriptural status of Paul’s letters is a new or novel idea—Peter mentions it quite casually and naturally.

The implications of Peter’s statement should not be missed. It shows that apostolic letters (in this instance Paul’s) had a scriptural status in early Christianity. If so, then it hard to imagine Peter would not have expected his own letter to be received with the same authority. After all, just a few verses earlier Peter made it clear that the teachings of the apostles were on par with the Old Testament itself…

FOLLOW THE LINK BELOW TO CONTINUE READING >>>

RECOMMENDED APOLOGETICS RESOURCES FOR FURTHER READING:

Canon Revisited: Establishing the Origins and Authority of the New Testament Books

Who Chose the Gospels?: Probing the Great Gospel Conspiracy

Shop at Amazon and help support The Poached Egg or donate now!

Posted on 03/14/2013 in Answers for Skeptics, Apologetics, Canon of Scripture, Christianity, Early Christianity, New Testament, Textual Criticism | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

03/08/2013

Ten Basic Facts about the NT Canon that Every Christian Should Memorize #3: “The New Testament Books Are Unique Because They Are Apostolic Books”

Ten Basic Facts about the NT Canon that Every Christian Should Memorize #3: “The New Testament Books Are Unique Because They Are Apostolic Books”

by Michael Kruger

One of the most basic facts about the New Testament canon that all Christians should understand is that the canon is intimately connected to the activities of the apostles.

Jesus had commissioned his apostles “so that they might be with him and he might send them out to preach and have authority” (Mark 3:14–15). When Jesus sent out the twelve, he reminds them that “For it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you” (Matt 10:20). Thus, he is able to give a warning to those who reject the apostles’ authority: “If anyone will not receive you or listen to your words…it will be more bearable on the day of judgment for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah than for that town” (Matt 10:14).

In sum, the apostles had the very authority of Christ himself. They were his mouthpiece. As such, their teachings, along with the prophets, were the very foundation of the church. Paul describes the church as “built on the foundation of the apostles and the prophets” (Eph 2:20). If the church wanted to know the true Christian message, they would always need to look back to the teaching of the apostles.

'Like' The Poached Egg on Facebook!

Ten Basic Facts about the NT Canon that Every Christian Should Memorize #3: “The New Testament Books Are Unique Because They Are Apostolic Books” | Canon Fodder

But, the apostles didn’t just teach about Jesus orally. At some point—a very early point—the apostolic message was written down. Often it was written down by the apostles themselves. At other points it was written down by companions of apostles who were recording their message. Either way, the authoritative apostolic message found its way into books.

For obvious reasons, the church would value apostolic books over and above other type of books. And this is exactly what happened…

FOLLOW THE LINK BELOW TO CONTINUE READING >>>

RECOMMENDED APOLOGETICS RESOURCES FOR FURTHER READING:

Canon Revisited: Establishing the Origins and Authority of the New Testament Books

Who Chose the Gospels?: Probing the Great Gospel Conspiracy

Shop at Amazon and help support The Poached Egg or donate now

Posted on 03/08/2013 in Answers for Skeptics, Apologetics, Bible Study Zone, Canon of Scripture, Christianity, Early Christianity, New Testament | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

03/05/2013

Ten Basic Facts about the NT Canon that Every hristian Should Memorize: #2: "Apocryphal Writings are All Written in the Second Century or Later"

Ten Basic Facts about the NT Canon that Every Christian Should Memorize: #2: “Apocryphal Writings are All Written in the Second Century or Later”

by Michael Kruger

In the prior post, we discussed the first basic fact about the New Testament canon, namely that the New Testament writings are the earliest Christian texts we possess. We were careful to make clear that the early date of these books does not make them canonical, but the early date does show that these books were written during a time period when eyewitnesses of Jesus were still alive.

In this current post, we address the issue of “apocryphal” New Testament writings. These are writings that were not included in the New Testament, but have a similar genre (gospels, acts, letters, apocalypses, etc.). And these writings are often attributed to famous individuals; e.g., the Gospel of Peter, the Gospel of Thomas, the Acts of John.

While we cannot go into extensive detail about these various apocryphal writings, we can at least note one basic fact that is often overlooked: all of these apocryphal writings are dated to the second century or later. Thus, this post is the corollary of the prior one. Not only are all New Testament writings from the first century, but all apocryphal writings (at least the ones that are extant) are from the second century or later. And many are from the third or fourth century.

'Like' The Poached Egg on Facebook!

Ten Basic Facts about the NT Canon that Every Christian Should Memorize: #2: “Apocryphal Writings are All Written in the Second Century or Later” | Canon Fodder

What is particularly noteworthy about this fact is that even critical scholars agree. While there is dispute over the dating of some New Testament books (e.g., 2 Peter, the Pastoral Epistles), there is virtual unanimity over the late date of apocryphal books. There are, of course, fringe attempts to place some apocryphal writings into the first century—e.g., Crossan argues that a “cross gospel” embedded in the Gospel of Peter is from the first century—but these suggestions have not been widely received.

The observation of this simple fact quickly calls into question sensationalistic claims about how these “lost” books contain the “real” version of Christianity…

FOLLOW THE LINK BELOW TO CONTINUE READING >>>

RECOMMENDED APOLOGETICS RESOURCES FOR FURTHER READING:

Canon Revisited: Establishing the Origins and Authority of the New Testament Books

Who Chose the Gospels?: Probing the Great Gospel Conspiracy

Shop at Amazon and help support The Poached Egg or donate now!

Posted on 03/05/2013 in Answers for Skeptics, Apologetics, Canon of Scripture, Christianity, Gnostic Gospels, New Testament | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

03/04/2013

Ten Basic Facts about the NT Canon that Every Christian Should Memorize: #1: “The New Testament Books are the Earliest Christian Writings We Possess”

Ten Basic Facts about the NT Canon that Every Christian Should Memorize: #1: “The New Testament Books are the Earliest Christian Writings We Possess”

by Michael Kruger

This new blog series is designed to help the lay believer learn some basic facts about the New Testament canon—the kind of facts that might be helpful in a conversation with a skeptic or inquisitive friend. The first of these facts is one that is so basic that it is often overlooked. It is simply that the New Testament books are the earliest Christian writings we possess.

One of the most formidable challenges in any discussion about the New Testament canon is explaining what makes these 27 books unique. Why these and not others? There are many answers to that question, but in this blog post we are focusing on just one: the date of these books. These books stand out as distinctive because they are earliest Christian writings we possess and thus bring

'Like' The Poached Egg on Facebook!