Analysis Questions – The Heresy of Orthodoxy

Köstenberger and Kruger

1. Chapter 1: Briefly define the “Bauer Hypothesis,” and describe how it reconstructed the

history of early Christianity and departed from what was traditionally held. How was it

received, and what was its impact on the scholarly world? Who were the major detractors

and what were their criticisms or reservations? Who is Bart Erhman and how does he get

his name appended to this hypothesis?

2. Chapter 2: Answer in abbreviated fashion the lead question of this chapter: “How diverse

was early Christianity” Characterize the main arguments of the Bauer hypothesis for the

prevalence of theological diversity (heresy) in early Christianity. What arguments and

lines of evidence are presented by authors in refutation of these claims?

3. Chapter 3: Describe Bauer‟s posture toward the NT documents and his presuppositions

regarding them. What major methodological flaws exist in Bauer‟s methodology? How

does he arrive at eh conclusion that heretical views are reflected in early Christianity, in

the NT documents themselves? What arguments are do the author‟s make regarding a

“consensus” of orthodoxy in the NT? Explain the concept of “legitimate diversity.”

4. Chapter 4: How do the proponents view the canon of the NT? What do they believe led to

the development/formation of the NT canon? What according to our authors is the „right

place” from which to launch an investigation into the historical development of the NT

canon?

5. Chapter 5: What evidence is there for an emerging canon in early Christianity? When and

how do we know that an apostolic writing has become “Scripture” with a status that is

collateral with that of the OT? Describe briefly what was happening in the early church

with these writings long before they appeared in a list authoritative writings and referred

to as the “New Testament.”

6. Chapter 6: How do Bauer and Erhman see the apocryphal books? Why do they say these

books were rejected? How do our authors explain their rejection? Explain what is meant

by a “closed canon.” Why do our authors believe it should be viewed as “closed?”

7. Chapters 7-8: What evidence is there that early Christianity was a “textual culture” and

not one controlled by oral tradition ? What main arguments would our authors present to

respond to the allegation that the thousands of manuscript variations lead us to the

conclusion that we cannot not know what was in the original texts of the NT?