Review: "Five Views on the New Testament Canon"

 

I have enjoyed reading books that show a variety of views on a subject.  In so doing, one can get a good understanding of what other views are on the subject – where they agree and where they disagree.  Five Views on the New Testament Canon edited by Stanley F. Porter and Benjamin P. Laird is a book of this type.

Five different authors present their argument for their understanding of the New Testament Canon.  This includes:  1. The conservative evangelical view – which argues the documents were written early, God-breathed, and self-confirming. 2. The progressive evangelical view – which argues that the canon is “wild and messy” and what matters is the Sprit’s use of the text.  3. The liberal protestant view – which argues from the historical critical perspective – which argues that the texts are contradictory, but what is important is what the text says to the reader today.  4. The Roman Catholic view – which argues that the Church closed the Canon at the Council of Trent, and the Church interprets the Canon.  5. The Orthodox view – which argues there is no codified Canon, and the texts are interpreted through the Church and tradition.

After this, each author is given the opportunity to respond to the other four authors.  This is followed by a name and a Scripture index.

This type of book is enlightening and instructive.  But I have come to have a problem with them:

The views are presented as being equally valid; there is no final stand for what is actually true.  And you may argue that such a conclusion is not made because this is merely a book explaining different views and showing the pros and cons of them.  If that is true, then what is this type of book for?  If there is no conclusion as to which is the correct view, how can one know the truth?  If you say that the reader can make up his or her mind, how can there be any certainty that the reader is able to biblically do so?

It is good to understand the views that are being held, but if the views contradict each other – they do here – and there is no one to conclude what is the true view – even with the variety of biblical positions – I am concerned that someone will embrace an unbiblical view.

I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review.

[This review appears on my blog, Amazon.com, Kregel.com, and Goodreads.com.]