I love D.A. Carson’s blurb for the new book The Heresy of Orthodoxy—an examination by Andreas Köstenberger and Michael Kruger of the Bauer-Ehrman thesis that heresy preceded orthodoxy in the development of Christianity.
“In the beginning was Diversity. And the Diversity was with God, and the Diversity was God. Without Diversity was nothing made that was made.
And it came to pass that nasty old ‘orthodox’ people narrowed down diversity and finally squeezed it out, dismissing it as heresy.
But in the fullness of time (which is of course our time), Diversity rose up and smote orthodoxy hip and thigh.
Now, praise be, the only heresy is orthodoxy.
As widely and as unthinkingly accepted as this reconstruction is, it is historical nonsense: the emperor has no clothes. I am grateful to Andreas Köstenberger and Michael Kruger for patiently, carefully, and politely exposing this shameful nakedness for what it is.”
Here are a few more:
“The Heresy of Orthodoxy will help many to make sense of what is happening in early Christian studies today. It explains, critiques, and provides an alternative to, the so-called ‘Bauer Thesis,’ an approach which undergirds a large segment of scholarship on early Christianity. The ‘doctrine’ that Christianity before the fourth century was but a seething mass of diverse and competing factions, with no theological center which could claim historical continuity with Jesus and his apostles, has become the new ‘orthodoxy’ for many. The authors of this book do more than expose the faults of this doctrine, they point the way to a better foundation for early Christian studies, focusing on the cornerstone issues of the canon and the text of the New Testament. Chapter 8, which demonstrates how one scholar’s highly-publicized twist on New Testament textual criticism only tightens the tourniquet on his own views, is alone worth the price of the book. Köstenberger and Kruger have done the Christian reading public a real service.”
—Charles E. Hill, Professor of New Testament, Reformed Theological Seminary“The Bauer thesis, taken up in many university circles and popularized by Bart Ehrman and through TV specials, has long needed a thorough examination. The Heresy of Orthodoxy is that work. Whether looking at Bauer’s thesis of diversity, at contemporary use made of the theory to argue for the early origin of Gnosticism, at the process that led to the canon, or what our manuscript evidence is, this study shows that Bauer’s theory, though long embraced, is full of problems that need to be faced. What emerges from this study is an appreciation that some times new theories are not better than what they seek to replace, despite the hype that often comes from being the new kid on the block. It is high time this kid be exposed as lacking the substance of a genuinely mature view. This book does that well, and also gives a fresh take on what the alternative is that has much better historical roots.”
—Darrell L. Bock, Research Professor of NT Studies, Dallas Theological Seminary“Köstenberger and Kruger have produced a volume that is oozing with common sense and is backed up with solid research and documentation. This work is a comprehensive critique of the Bauer-Ehrman thesis that the earliest form of Christianity was pluralistic, that there were multiple Christianities, and that heresy was prior to orthodoxy. Respectful yet without pulling any punches, The Heresy of Orthodoxy at every turn makes a convincing case that the Bauer-Ehrman thesis is dead wrong. All those who have surrendered to the siren song of postmodern relativism and tolerance, any who are flirting with it, and everyone concerned about what this seismic sociological-epistemological shift is doing to the Christian faith should read this book.”
—Daniel B. Wallace, Professor of New Testament Studies, Dallas Theological Seminary
Here’s the table of contents:
Part 1: The Heresy of Orthodoxy: Pluralism and the Origins of the New Testament
1. The Bauer-Ehrman Thesis: Its Origins and Influence
2. Unity and Plurality: How Diverse Was Early Christianity?
3. Heresy in the New Testament: How Early Was It?Part 2: Picking the Books: Tracing the Development of the New Testament Canon
4. Starting in the Right Place: The Meaning of Canon in Early Christianity
5. Interpreting the Historical Evidence: The Emerging Canon in Early Christianity
6. Establishing the Boundaries: Apocryphal Books and the Limits of the CanonPart 3: Changing the Story: Manuscripts, Scribes, and Textual Transmission
7. Keepers of the Text: How Were Texts Copied and Circulated in the Ancient World?
8. Tampering with the Text: Was the New Testament Text Changed Along the Way?Concluding Appeal: The Heresy of Orthodoxy in a Topsy-turvy World
And here is I. Howard Marshall’s foreword along with the introduction to the book.
