2009-06-03

Engwer has begun a series on the New Testament canon, for which he feels the current treatment is largely dissatisfying. He does recommend Everett Ferguson's chapter in Lee McDonald and James Sanders, edd., The Canon Debate (Peabody, Massachusetts: Hendrickson Publishers, 2002), pp. 295-320; and Carson and Moo’s chapter in their Intro to the NT. He wants to bring out lines of argumentation in support of the canon which are good, but seldom given the attention they deserves. The New Testament Canon And Evangelicalism

“Alberta legislators passed legislation early Tuesday that will give parents the option of pulling their children out of class when lessons on sex, religion or sexual orientation are being taught.” http://www.cbc.ca/canada/story/2009/06/02/alberta-human-rights-school-gay-education-law.html?ref=rss

Engwer writes that Athanasius is often cited as the earliest extant source to advocate the 27 book NT, and points out that Athanasius appeals to ‘the church’, to what was ‘handed down’ (and he speaks of the number of books in the OT this way), to what was ‘appointed by the fathers’, and that other sources (Jerome, Augustine) writing shortly after accept the same canon, suggesting strongly that it predates him. Moreover, Athanasius was aware of other lists. Also, the Donatist schismatics had this same canon (according to Augustine) as the churches in North Africa. Origen very much appears to advocate a 27 book canon more than a century before Athanasius. Engwer than goes on to defend this view of Origen based on a quote that has generated quite the bit of controversy. i) There is good reason to trust the translation by Rufinus of this quote (the original Greek was lost; we only have the latin). (e.g. as to accusations of forgery, why do a forgery to advocate a canon and not specify the number of John’s epistles?; one must think Rufinus preserved Origen’s OT canon, with which he disagreed, while altering the NT) ii) It is most likely that Origen’s list is intended to represent the canon. iii) We must not confuse Origen’s record of the doubts of others as being his own doubts: we have references in Origen to every book of the New Testament as scripture, except 2 and 3 John. iv) The evidence indicates that origin is referring to 2 or 3 epistles of John. The source with probably the closest relation to Origen, Dionysius refers to 2 and 3 John as genuine works of the apostle. Also, Origen refers elsewhere to three that are attributed to the apostle (Eusebius, Church History, 6:25). v) Origen repeatedly refers to Revelation as a genuine work of John and treats it as Scripture. Engwer thus concludes that Origen is the earliest extant source to advocate the twenty-seven-book New Testament canon. The Twenty-Seven-Book New Testament Before Athanasius

Challies uses the story of the Lord of the Rings and the stewardship of Gondor to illustrate the danger of holding onto a stewardship, a responsibility, as if the object of stewardship was really a possession. The Stone Chair

Gilbert (with satire) lists nine ‘good’ arguments put forward by many who defend people whom they think are cool. Nine Really Good Arguments to Use When Defending a Guy You Think Is Pretty Cool by Greg Gilbert

T-fan answers a challenge to Calvinists to show where God permits something: “Job 1: God permitted Satan to variously hurt Job in his possessions, servants, and children but without touching Job himself. Job 2: God permitted Satan to hurt Job so long as Satan did not take Job's life.” Response to Challenge to Calvinists

White points to two more examples of God’s judgment upon Western nations: Obama has declared June to be homosexual/transgender pride month (it would be a good month to pray for repentance), and a group is pushing for the EU to enshrine baby murder as a fundamental human right – indeed, free, safe (for the mother, not so for her unborn human baby), and legal. Give the women of Europe the right to free abortion!

Harris quotes an interesting point by DeYoung – pride shows itself in overqualifying arguments (because you want people to like you/not misunderstand you), in hedging criticisms (to avoid needing to publically repent/recant), and in avoiding candor, showing more love for self than truth. A call to love is entirely different than being a jerk or playing it safe. Tozer wrote that the kingdom has been hurt by men who would fight rather than pray – but also by men who would rather be nice than right. Kevin DeYoung- Defining Discourse Down

Turk points to a story which says that US is not the most peaceful nation in the world – of note, their definition of peace is the ‘absence of violence.’ So they're going to move the U.N. there when-