Tag: Canon

How Did We Get the Bible? Exploring the Formation of the Biblical Canon – with Shane Angland

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In this episode of the Theology for the People Podcast, I speak with Shane Angland about the question of how we got the Bible in its current form.

Shane has been a recurring guest on the podcast, and he has a keen mind and knowledge of historical theology. Shane lives in Ennis, Ireland where he serves at Ennis Evangelical Church. He holds a Masters of Divinity from Dallas Theological Seminary, and has served as a missionary in Ukraine.

From the formation of the Old and New Testaments to the question of the Apocrypha, to the impact of the Council of Trent, this conversation offers clarity on why the Bible is trusted as God’s inspired Word.

Key Topics Discussed

  • What is the Canon?
    • Definition: The canon is the list of inspired, authoritative Scriptures distinguished from other valuable writings.
    • Theological foundation: Scripture is “breathed forth” by God, carrying unique authority for the church (2 Timothy 3:16).
  • Old Testament Canon Formation
    • Begins with God’s redemptive acts, particularly after the Exodus and Sinai covenant (Exodus 24, Deuteronomy 31).
    • Jewish recognition of inspired texts from Moses to Malachi, with a prophetic silence post-Persian era.
    • Josephus and first-century Jewish consensus on 22 books (equivalent to the 39 books in modern Old Testaments).
    • No explicit criteria articulated, but guided by the Holy Spirit and covenantal context.
  • The Apocrypha and Deuterocanonical Books
    • Includes books like Tobit, Judith, Wisdom, Sirach, 1 & 2 Maccabees, Baruch, and additions to Esther and Daniel.
    • Historical debate: Some early Christians (e.g., Augustine) accepted these books, while others (e.g., Jerome) did not, aligning with Jewish tradition.
    • Council of Trent (1546): Roman Catholic Church dogmatically defined these books as canonical, partly in response to Reformation emphasis on scriptural authority (e.g., for doctrines like purgatory).
    • Eastern Orthodox churches maintain an open canon, avoiding infallible rulings.
  • New Testament Canon Formation
    • Tied to the new covenant and apostolic authority, with writings by or connected to apostles (e.g., Mark linked to Peter, Luke to Paul).
    • Criteria: Apostolic origin, Christ-centered message, and widespread church use in worship.
    • Early recognition: By the late first century, apostolic writings were distinguished (e.g., Clement’s letters vs. Paul’s epistles).
    • By the second century, 22–23 of the 27 books were widely accepted, with minor debates on smaller texts (e.g., 2 Peter, 3 John).
  • Misconceptions Addressed
    • Myth: The Council of Nicaea (325 CE) decided the canon. Reality: Nicaea focused on church governance, not canon selection.
    • Myth: Early Christians chose from hundreds of gospels. Reality: The four canonical gospels were the earliest, apostolic, and widely used.
    • Gnostic “gospels” (e.g., Gospel of Judas) lack historical or apostolic credibility and were not serious contenders.
  • Why the Delay in Formal Canon Lists of the New Testament?
    • The early church was decentralized, persecuted, and lacked centralized authority to compile lists.
    • Canonical texts were illegal, and possession could lead to martyrdom (e.g., 180 CE Carthage trial).
    • Earliest clear list: Athanasius’ Easter Letter (367 CE), reflecting existing church consensus.
  • Confidence in Scripture
    • The Bible’s unity across 66 books, three languages, and 1,500 years testifies to its divine inspiration.
    • The early church’s careful discernment reflects wisdom, not uncertainty.
    • Romans 3:2 affirms the Jewish role in preserving the Old Testament oracles, reinforcing trust in the canon’s reliability.

Resources Mentioned

  • Michael Kruger’s work on the canon (e.g., Canon Revisited).
  • Josephus’ Against Apion for first-century Jewish canon insights.
  • Augustine’s On Christian Doctrine.

Quotable Moments

  • “The canon begins with God’s work of redemption, not human decisions.” – Shane
  • “The church doesn’t establish the canon; it recognizes it through the Holy Spirit.” – Shane
  • “The Bible’s coherent message across 1,500 years is a miracle of God’s inspiration.” – Shane

Click here to listen to the episode, or listen in the embedded player below.

How Did We Get the Bible? Exploring the Formation of the Biblical Canon – with Shane Angland Th.M – Theology for the People

In this episode, Nick Cady and Shane Angland tackle the critical question: How did the Bible come to be? They explore the formation of the biblical canon, addressing misconceptions, historical processes, and the theological significance of Scripture. From the Old Testament’s roots in God’s redemptive work to the New Testament’s apostolic authority, this conversation offers clarity on why the Bible is trusted as God’s inspired Word. They also discuss the Apocrypha, the Council of Trent’s impact, and how early Jewish and Christian communities recognized canonical texts.Connect with Theology for the PeopleWebsite: theologyforthepeople.comFollow on X: @nickcady

The Formation of the New Testament Canon: Part 2 – Recognition, Disputes & the Gospel of Thomas

Published on by nickcadyLeave a comment

In Part 2 of this two-part series, Mike and I discuss the process through which the New Testament was recognized as Holy Scripture.

At what point were the books of the New Testament recognized as Scripture? Who was involved in that process, or who made that determination? What about the disputed books, and why was the Gospel of Thomas kept out of the Bible?

We answer these questions and more in this episode. (Click here to listen to Part 1.)

Click this link to listen this week’s episode, or listen in the embedded player below: The Formation of the New Testament Canon: Part 2 – Recognition, Disputes & the Gospel of Thomas

The Formation of the New Testament Canon: Part 2 – Recognition, Disputes & the Gospel of Thomas – Theology for the People

In Part 2 of this two-part series, Nick and Mike discuss the process through which the New Testament was recognized as Holy Scripture. At what point were the books of the New Testament recognized as Scripture? Who was involved in that process, or who made that determination? What about the disputed books, and why was the Gospel of Thomas kept out of the Bible? We answer these questions and more in this episode. Make sure to check out the Theology for the People blog as well.

The Formation of the New Testament Canon: Part 1 – Nicaea, Constantine, & Conspiracy Theories

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Last week Mike and I sat down to discuss some common misnomers and conspiracy theories regarding the formation of the New Testament canon.

What actually happened in Nicaea? Did Constantine play a role in the formation of the New Testament canon? Who was King James?

Did anything happen that should cause us concern that the Bible we have is not trustworthy, or has been tampered with?

We answer those questions in Part 1 of our 2-part episode on the formation of the New Testament canon. Click here to listen, or listen in the embedded player below: The Formation of the New Testament Canon: Part 1 – Nicaea, Constantine, & Conspiracy Theories

The Formation of the New Testament Canon: Part 1 – Nicaea, Constantine, & Conspiracy Theories – Theology for the People

In Part 1 of this two-part episode, Nick and Mike discuss some common misnomers and conspiracy theories regarding the formation of the New Testament canon. What happened in Nicaea? Did Constantine play a role in the formation of the New Testament canon? If so, is there anything we should be concerned about? Check out the Theology for the People blog as well. 

Are some parts of the Bible more inspired by God than others?

Published on by nickcady3 Comments

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Are some parts of the Bible more the “Word of God” than other parts of the Bible? For example: are the gospels (and within them the words of Jesus) more inspired by God than the Psalms or the historical books or the Apostolic epistles?

A related question is: Are some parts of the Bible more important than others?

A Canon Within the Canon

The word canon means the “measuring rod”, the “standard” by which other things are measured. This is the word the church has used to describe the collection of 66 books which are considered authoritative because they are uniquely inspired by God and are treated as “holy scripture.”

In 2 Timothy 3:16, we are told: All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness.
(For a discussion of which Scriptures Paul was referring to here, see: Did the New Testament Writers Know They Were Writing Scripture?)

Although the Christian church as a whole officially recognizes this written canon, every denomination, local church and individual Christian has their theology shaped by greater reliance on some parts of the canon than others. This creates, in practice, a “canon within the canon”; certain parts of the Bible which are considered more authoritative, or even more inspired by God, than other parts of the Bible.

While this is very common, we must challenge ourselves by asking whether this is appropriate, and whether it is congruent with our understanding of what it means that the Bible is “inspired” or “breathed out” by God.

How was the Bible “Inspired”?

When it comes to understanding what it means that Scripture is God-breathed, on the one end of the spectrum are those who believe that God dictated the Bible word for word in Hebrew, Aramaic and Greek, and the writers were simply secretaries who recorded those words. At the other end of spectrum are those who believe that God inspired the writers in the way that an artist, musician or author feels “inspired” by a sunset or something else which “inspires” them to create a masterpiece.

The problem with the “dictation” view of inspiration is that the writing styles of the various human authors are very apparent in what they wrote. Paul’s very long complicated sentences are very different than the short simple sentences of 1 John or the Gospel of Mark. The Gospel of John recounts the life of Jesus in a very different way and from a very different point of view than that of Matthew or Luke. Furthermore, many of the Psalms are cries of imperfect people who are voicing their complaints to God – or expressing sentiments which are not God’s heart.

The problem with the artistic view of inspiration is that the Bible clearly tells us that Scripture is not just a great human book, but the “Word of God”; a message which has been conveyed from God to us. 2 Peter 1:21 puts it this way: “For no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit,” and Romans 15:4 says that “everything that was written in the past was written to teach us.”

So, what is the correct understanding of Biblical “inspiration”?

Dynamic Verbal Plenary Inspiration

Dynamic

The biblical writers conveyed God’s message in terms of their own personalities and historical circumstances, and yet they transmitted the message fully and exactly as God desired.

Verbal

As opposed to the idea that God only inspired the thoughts of the writers, or gave them the “big ideas,” which they then wrote down in their own words, we know that God’s inspiration of Scripture extends even to the words that were used.

For example, in Galatians 3:16 Paul wrote, “the promises were made to Abraham and to his offspring. It does not say, “And to offsprings,” referring to many, but referring to one, “And to your offspring,” who is Christ.” By making this distinction about the significance of the particular word that was used in the Scriptures, he is making the point that God’s inspiration of Scripture is to be understood as “verbal,” i.e. that God inspired certain words to be used instead of other words in order to convey His particular message.

In Matthew 5:17-18, Jesus said, “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. For truly, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law until all is accomplished.” Jesus is here affirming that the smallest details of the Scriptures are inspired by God. If the punctuation is inspired, how much more so the very words?

Plenary

Plenary means “complete or full,” and when used to describe the inspiration of the Scriptures, it means that all parts of the Bible are equally of divine origin and equally authoritative.

Dynamic Verbal Plenary Inspiration acknowledges that the Bible is both a human book and a divine book. To put it simply: The Holy Spirit so guided the writers of Scripture so that they gave us, in their own unique manner, exactly the message God intended.

This begs one final question: Just because all parts of the Bible are equally authoritative, does that mean that all parts of the Bible are equally important?

Are all parts of the Bible equally important?

While all parts of the Bible are divinely authoritative, there are some parts of Scripture which we can say are more important, or at least more relevant, than other parts.

The progressive nature of revelation

Hebrews 1:1-2 says: “Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world.”

God’s revelation has had a progressive nature throughout history, culminating in Jesus’ coming, his teachings and his life, death and resurrection, along with his explanations of the significance of these things (see Luke 24:13-49).

Therefore, books like Romans and Hebrews contain a later and fuller revelation of the gospel, the core message of the Bible, than do books like Ecclesiastes, for example. Ecclesiastes, I would argue, can only be fully understood in light of Jesus and the significance of his life, death and resurrection.

Thus, while all parts of the Bible are to be understood as authoritative and of divine origin (this, by the way, was the criteria for the solidifying of the canon at the early church councils), we understand that the progressive nature of revelation means that some books will be more relevant than others, or that some earlier books must be understood in light of what is revealed in later books.

Conclusion

The Bible is God’s gift to humanity; our guide for life and eternity. It is the only book that is “God-breathed,” and it is important that we be careful to avoid creating a “canon within the canon.”

Further Reading: