praise_yeshua
Well-known member
I remember one of the first internet forums that I really actively participated in. The "Net Bible" was being translated at the time and bible.org was much different than it is today. Most of my internet experience debating theology took place in yahoo groups and yahoo chat till that point. Not that it was my first forum experience. Bulletin Boards were around in 90s but most people did not embrace the internet until windows 95 came along.
I was privileged to extensively debate the Biblical canon with the members of bible.org. In fact, I believe it was some of those debates that actually lead them to shutdown their forum. Bible.org had so much rich content during those years. Most of it has long been removed. It really was sad and I have long missed some of the participants. I realized long ago that the subject of the "Biblical Canon" is often the weakest subject found in any individual's theology. I hope to try and change that with this thread....
I'd like to ask everyone a few questions.
1. What does "Inspiration" mean to you?
2. How do you apply "Inspiration?
3. Do you adhere to the Protestant Canon, Catholic Canon, or do you have your own?
I believe these three questions will help to begin the conversation on what you consider "canonical".
I will provide short answers to these questions below.
1. Inspiration is the process by which God imparted His words to the human writers that originally wrote various manuscripts that survive today. I'm limiting this conversation to extant witnesses. I believe Enoch is generally considered to be the first prophet to have recorded/written words that he preached/declared. Though today, the "book" of Enoch is fractured and corrupt in many places and can not be completely trusted. Nevertheless, Jude appeals to words from Enoch as being Scripture. "Inspiration" literally can be seen as "God breathed". Meaning, that these authors did not record their own words, but words directly from God. Which establishes doctrines such Inerrancy.
I will clearly state that all canons contain words from various sources. Words from the authors of various manuscripts, words from translators/editors, and "Thus saith the Lord". It is vitally important that we recognize the differences.
2. We apply "Inspiration" only to the words that fall within the category of "Thus saith the Lord".
3. I have my own list of canonical books. I believe this subject is important enough to not allow other men to define that list for me. I put forth extensive effort to know the subject so as to accurately defend my list.
I look forward to the conversation. Thanks
I was privileged to extensively debate the Biblical canon with the members of bible.org. In fact, I believe it was some of those debates that actually lead them to shutdown their forum. Bible.org had so much rich content during those years. Most of it has long been removed. It really was sad and I have long missed some of the participants. I realized long ago that the subject of the "Biblical Canon" is often the weakest subject found in any individual's theology. I hope to try and change that with this thread....
I'd like to ask everyone a few questions.
1. What does "Inspiration" mean to you?
2. How do you apply "Inspiration?
3. Do you adhere to the Protestant Canon, Catholic Canon, or do you have your own?
I believe these three questions will help to begin the conversation on what you consider "canonical".
I will provide short answers to these questions below.
1. Inspiration is the process by which God imparted His words to the human writers that originally wrote various manuscripts that survive today. I'm limiting this conversation to extant witnesses. I believe Enoch is generally considered to be the first prophet to have recorded/written words that he preached/declared. Though today, the "book" of Enoch is fractured and corrupt in many places and can not be completely trusted. Nevertheless, Jude appeals to words from Enoch as being Scripture. "Inspiration" literally can be seen as "God breathed". Meaning, that these authors did not record their own words, but words directly from God. Which establishes doctrines such Inerrancy.
I will clearly state that all canons contain words from various sources. Words from the authors of various manuscripts, words from translators/editors, and "Thus saith the Lord". It is vitally important that we recognize the differences.
2. We apply "Inspiration" only to the words that fall within the category of "Thus saith the Lord".
3. I have my own list of canonical books. I believe this subject is important enough to not allow other men to define that list for me. I put forth extensive effort to know the subject so as to accurately defend my list.
I look forward to the conversation. Thanks
