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Articles > Systematic
Theology > The
Canon of Scripture > Part XXII: Missing Books in Light of
Anti-Supernatural Presuppositions
Part XXII: Missing Books in Light of Anti-Supernatural Presuppositions
I. Introduction
a. The assertion that there are missing books in the Bible
is a popular one employed by those who are against the faith.
b. The media regularly provoke this challenge in various forms.
i. They report that "scholars say that Book X is missing
from the canon"
ii. Or they report that "Book Y should not have been
in the Bible".
II. Those who reject the need for a Biblical approach to the
Canon
a. A Biblical approach to the Canon was the topic of Part II.
b. However, some do not adhere to the Biblical approach.
i. Among one hostile approach to the Canon are those who
approach it with anti-supernatural presuppositions.
1. Operating from such a presupposition, the Canon is nothing
more than a list of books that a particular religious group
holds as sacred.
III. Anti-supernatural explanation of the canon is only sociological
in nature
a. In seeking to account for the canon without the supernatural,
the canon is nothing more than a natural phenomenon.
b. The nature of the canon would be different than that of
the Christian:
i. Canon would be determined by religious group vs. Canonicity
because it is God's Word
ii. The Canon reflects beliefs of only a certain time period
and location of a certain religious group vs. the Canon containing
books that gives timeless truth from God.
iii. The content within the canon is limited in its application
only to its adherents vs. the content of the canon includes
the objective demand of God upon all. (Endnote
1)
c. In essence, the nature of the canon as mentioned above is
nothing more than sociological in nature.
i. The response of this outline is directed towards this
form of attack of the Canon which excludes a biblical approach
to the Canon.
IV. Is it possible that there are missing/extra books in the
Christian canon according to anti-supernatural presuppositions?
a. The following is in an internal critique of the anti-super
naturalists argument in light of their presuppositions.
b. Answer: No, since anti-supernatural presuppositions
means that the Canon are determined by religious group
i. It is categorically impossible to say that books are missing
if the religious group as the final arbitrator of the canon
didn't accepted the book in question.
ii. It is categorically impossible to say a book should not
have been added if the religious group does not want it as part
of their canon since they are the final authority of their own
canon.
1. With anti-supernatural presuppositions, there are no
higher principles to invoke for a group not to add or subtract
from their canon since the religious group are the highest
authority to establish their own religious canon.
c. Answer: No, since anti-supernatural presuppositions
means that the Canon only reflect beliefs of only a certain period
and location of a certain religious group.
i. To say a book is 'missing' implies that a book ought to
be in the canon of a certain religion
1. Yet if the canon only reflects the group's beliefs and
values of a certain time period and location, there can be
no missing books, just only irrelevant books that are removed
by the group when the times changes.
ii. To say a book is an 'extra addition' implies that a book
ought not to be in the canon of a certain religion
1. Yet if the canon only reflects the group's beliefs and
values of a certain time period and location, there can be
no extra books unnecessarily added, since all books added
by the religious group reflects its belief in their time and
location.
a. Arguments that an old book ought to be added to the
canon of a religious group make no sense if the group of
another time period does not believe it reflects their current
values.
i. Remember, it is the religious groups that determine
the Canon in light of anti-supernatural presuppositions.
d. Answer: No, since anti-supernatural presuppositions makes
the content within the canon limited to only its adherents.
i. If the canon is only applicable to a certain religious
groups, what place does an outsider have to force their agenda
of adding/subtracting someone else's canon?
1. Outsiders who engage in such pursuit are unwittingly
forcing their canons upon those who does not adhere to them
and is futile since each group lists their own canon.
a. There are no standards of the canon which transcend
beyond the autonomy of each religious group according to
anti-supernatural presuppositions.
V. Conclusion
a. Therefore, arguments constructed from anti-supernatural
presuppositions against the Christian Canon makes no sense within
their own presuppositions.
b. The Christian ought to not fear the nature of such objections.
c. Christians must continually grow in their trust in God concerning
the Christian canon and ensure in their confidence of the Biblical
approach to the Canon.
Endnotes
- This is not to say that everything in the Christian
canon is required by God of us today, as there exceptions when
one rightfully understand the text according to its proper context.
For example, some parts of the text are specific requirements
for certain people only in an historical narrative, and not a
law for us today, etc. Christians acknowledge this but also acknowledge
that Scripture also have universal laws demanded by God upon all.
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