The Biblical Canon: Its Origin, Transmission, and Authority, Peabody,

The Biblical Canon: Its Origin, Transmission, and Authority, Peabody

Introduction

Despite the change of name, this third edition of McDonald's Formation of Christian Biblical Canon was originally published nearly twenty years ago. As the second edition, this revision substantially enhances its predecessor. McDonald is working with the criticisms of his earlier works, adds recent bibliography, and further examines modern problems (such as those concerning the relations between the textual transmission and Canon). The section on the Old Testament is reorganized. The New Testament section was expanded, including a very useful list of quotations, allusions, and parallels with the New Testament books in the more recent authors. The structure of the book

McDonald effectively positions themselves in the middle of the spectrum between the traditionalists and those who wished to resume the question of what is included in the canon. It defines the traditionalists as those who argue that he had closed the Bible (Old Testament), the canon, which was adopted by the Church, and expanded in accordance with the Catholics, that the early church also recognized the inspired Scriptures theologically unified New Testament on the basis of their apostolicity and that the ancient canonical status of the biblical writings supported by their frequent citation in the early church. In response, McDonald argues strongly that the Christian canon (both Old and New Testaments) was not closed until the fourth to sixth century CE In addition, only a quotation from the biblical books of the early church nor the Bible to prove their status (as even non - - Christian sources of quotations in the New Testament), nor to exclude non-canonical books, however, McDonald refused to join those colleagues who argue that works such as The Gospel of Thomas or the Gospel of Mary is worthy ...