THE RELIABIITY OF THE NEW TESTAMENT

part 1

I. The Bible as Inspired Scripture

A. Plenary, verbal-rational, propositional inspiration (2 Tim. 3:15 – 17; 2 Pet. 1:20 – 21)

B. The Bible is true on every matter it touches on

C. Need for appropriate standards, given nature of ancient literature

D. The human dimension of Scripture (unlike the Qur’an, supposedly entirely divine)

E. The most thorough and philosophically astute presentation of biblical inerrancy is found in Carl F. H. Henry’s magisterial six volumes, God, Revelation, and Authority (Word, 1976-1982; reprinted by Crossway).

II. The Bible and Historical Apologetics

A. Establish historical reliability of NT as starting point, especially the Gospels

B. The piety and propriety of arguing for biblical reliability; contra fideism

C. Argue against metaphysical naturalism/physicalism and methodological naturalism, such as the Jesus Seminar, etc. See Douglas Groothuis, Jesus in an Age of Controversy (Wipf and Stock reprint, 2002), chapter two

D. Since the NT is an historical account, use historiographical criteria as long as it doesn’t prejudice the case against Christianity (such as methodological naturalism)