Church History Paper I
The Foundation of Orthodoxy and the Cannon
A Paper
Presented to Dr. Keith Goad of
Liberty University
Lynchburg, VA
In Partial Fulfillment
Of the Requirements for
Church History
CHHI 301
By
Brittany N. Askew
February 6, 2012
Brittany Askew
06 February 2012
CHHI301_B04
Paper 1
Introduction
The process by which Scripture has been preserved and compiled is one whose history is worth noting. The early church had many opportunities to share the Good News of Christ via word of mouth, but from the time of Christ’s resurrection until the mid-second century, there had not been a single culmination of writings considered to be essential for the purposes of teaching and spreading the Gospel. Increasing heretical opposition in conjunction with the need for a standard of living to follow gave rise to the formation of the New Testament Canon; however, this would not come without multiple false teachers and many arguments over what would classify as “inspired by God”. To seek the answer to one of history’s most important questions, we must understand what the canon is, how it was inspired and to whom authority was given in determining what would be included in such Holy Scriptures.
The Canon
It is important to note that in order to accept the canon as Holy and the very Word of God, there is a presupposition that must come first. In order for this book to carry any value, we must first assume that there is in fact, a God, and that He is Holy, Righteous, and Creator of all things. Without this assumption, there would be no need for the canonization process. After this assumption, we must ask where the letters, teachings, and written laws came from. Who wrote them and what gave the authors the authority to claim their writings as inspired by God?
The first individuals to write any significant teachings concerning Jesus and His followers were the apostles. These men lived and breathed
A Paper
Presented to Dr. Keith Goad of
Liberty University
Lynchburg, VA
In Partial Fulfillment
Of the Requirements for
Church History
CHHI 301
By
Brittany N. Askew
February 6, 2012
Brittany Askew
06 February 2012
CHHI301_B04
Paper 1
Introduction
The process by which Scripture has been preserved and compiled is one whose history is worth noting. The early church had many opportunities to share the Good News of Christ via word of mouth, but from the time of Christ’s resurrection until the mid-second century, there had not been a single culmination of writings considered to be essential for the purposes of teaching and spreading the Gospel. Increasing heretical opposition in conjunction with the need for a standard of living to follow gave rise to the formation of the New Testament Canon; however, this would not come without multiple false teachers and many arguments over what would classify as “inspired by God”. To seek the answer to one of history’s most important questions, we must understand what the canon is, how it was inspired and to whom authority was given in determining what would be included in such Holy Scriptures.
The Canon
It is important to note that in order to accept the canon as Holy and the very Word of God, there is a presupposition that must come first. In order for this book to carry any value, we must first assume that there is in fact, a God, and that He is Holy, Righteous, and Creator of all things. Without this assumption, there would be no need for the canonization process. After this assumption, we must ask where the letters, teachings, and written laws came from. Who wrote them and what gave the authors the authority to claim their writings as inspired by God?
The first individuals to write any significant teachings concerning Jesus and His followers were the apostles. These men lived and breathed
Bibliography: Elwell, Walter, A. “Slippery Slope Argument.” Evangelical Dictionary of Theology 2. 2001. [ 4 ]. Elwell, Walter, A. “Slippery Slope Argument.” Evangelical Dictionary of Theology 2. 2001. [ 5 ]. Justo L. Gonzalez, “The Deposit of the Faith.”The Story of Christianity: The Early Church to the Dawn of the Reformation 1. 1984, 69-81.