11/28/2004 1

Da Vinci Code: Fact or Fiction?

Part 3

Bill Petro

your friendly neighborhood historian

www.billpetro.com/davinci

11/28/2004 2

Where is it?

www.billpetro.com/davinci

11/28/2004 3

Agenda:

• What was Gnosticism?

• Were other Gnostic/Hidden/Lost/Secret Gospels

a legitimate expression of Christianity?

• How did we really get the New Testament?

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What was Gnosticism?

• Gnosis

• Platonic

• Dualism

• Aeons, demiurge

• Spark of divinity

• Guide into Truth

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Were other (Gnostic) Gospels a legitimate expression of

Christianity?

• Where were they discovered?

• Were they suppressed in the 4th century?

• Can they help us understand Jesus?

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Nag Hammadi

Nag Hammadi

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Constantine “paid” for Bibles

• Financed scribes to copy 50 copies of

the Bible for use in Constantinople

• Constantine burned writings of Arius

• Eusebius’ list

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“Other” Gospels

• Nag Hammadi Library, James M. Robinson• The Gnostic Gospels, Elaine Pagels• Lost Scriptures, Bart D. Ehrman• The Other Gospels, Ron Cameron• The Gospel of Mary Magdalene, Jean-Yves

Leloup• The Infancy Gospels of James and Thomas,

Ronald F. Hock

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“Value” of other Gospels

• Writings of Apostolic Fathers and Post-

Apostolic Fathers (late 1st, early 2nd Centuries)

• Popular 3rd class literary entertainment (2nd

and 3rd Centuries)

• Heretical books, especially of a Gnostic nature

(2nd – 4th Centuries)

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Dates of Gospels

• Mark: AD 40 – 65

• Luke: AD 60 – 85

• Matthew: AD 70 – 90

• John: AD 86 – 100

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NT vs. Antiquities

• NT 5,600 AD 100 AD 140

• Gallic Wars 10 BC 58 AD 900

• Livy 20 AD 17 AD 300

• Tacitus 12 AD 100 AD 1000

• Thucydides 8 BC 400 AD 900

Copies Written Earliest copy

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New Testament Canon

• Rule, “Ruler” = list

• Clement, Bishop of Rome – AD 90

• Ignatius, Bishop of Antioch – AD 115

• Polycarp – AD 155

• Origen – AD 230

• Officially confirmed in its present and final form by the 3rd Council of Carthage in AD 397

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Why a Canon?

• Dealing with Heresy – Doctrine

• Reading in Churches – Devotion

• Surrendering to Authorities – Persecution

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Tests:

• Apostolicity: Had been written by an apostle or specifically approved by the apostles.

• Acceptance: A history of continuous and widespread approval amongst Christians

• Conformity: to the Old Testament scriptures and Apostles’ rule of faith.

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How:

• Letters from apostles were written and received in churches, copied and circulated

• Growing group of books were recognized as inspired Scripture

• By end of 1st century all 27 NT books were written and received by the churches

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Then:

• A generation after the Apostolic Age, every book of the NT had been cited as authoritative by a Church Father

• Debates continued into the 4th century, until Athanasius’ Easter letter in AD 367

• Ratified by the Council of Hippo - AD 393,3rd Council of Carthage - AD 397

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Bibliography

• The New Testament Documents: are they reliable?

F.F. BruceInter-Varsity Press

• Christian History Magazine, Issue 51Heresy in the Early Church

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Q&A