Don Stewart :: What Is Canon Criticism?

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Canon criticism is the name for a discipline that does not necessarily accept the present New Testament canon of Scripture. It believes that the issue of the canon was settled in the wrong way and still needs to be discussed. Usually the argument revolves around two basic things - the early Christians based their decisions on wrong information and the Reformers gave unacceptable criteria for which books needed to be included in the canon of Scripture.

Those who criticize the present canon either argue for a canon within the present canon or that other books should be considered as canonical that are not part of the New Testament.

The Charge Is That The Early Church Was Acting On Wrong Information

It is contended that the early Christians made their decisions with respect to the canon with either incomplete or inaccurate information. For example, many modern critics reject Second Peter as having been written by Peter as well as the rejection of the letters of Paul to Timothy and Titus as having been written by Paul. They believe these four writings are forgeries. Paul's authorship of Ephesians is also questioned.

It Is Also Alleged That Unacceptable Criteria Were Used To Determine The Canonical Books

The criteria that the reformers used to determine which books belonged in the New Testament were also flawed. Martin Luther argued that the book must "teach Christ." John Calvin said the testimony of the Holy Spirit would bear witness to each individual Christian in every age as to what was God's Word and what was not. These criteria are too subjective.

Response

First, it is arrogant to contend that somehow people twenty centuries removed from the events can make a better judgment than those living at the time.

The reformers did give inadequate reasons for accepting the New Testament canon. However we have the promise of Jesus as well as the historical evidence that the church did make the right decision with respect to the biblical books. We do not rely solely upon the criteria set down by the reformers.

Summary

Canon criticism believes the question of the New Testament canon has not been closed. Consequently some books can be either added or subtracted from the New Testament. Since the critics believe the early church acted on inadequate or false information these "better informed" people assume they have the right to rearrange the New Testament canon. Fortunately no one, in any large numbers, really takes them seriously.