Council of Nicaea / Arius / Constantine and the Bible (page 2)

MissBehave

Justitia and Death to the Pixies.....your suggestions look very interesting. Thank you, I will check them out.

I am glad you asked this question. I have mixed feelings after the realization of who really put the Bible together. Makes what is called the Holy Bible, not quite so "holy"...as books are missing based on Constantine's decisions.

When you realize that the actual disciples did not write those books attributed to their name, but their followers did and years later, sorta takes away from the authenticity of the books.

slimboyfat

I think you have been reading Dan Brown instead of proper history. He claimed that Constantine decided the canon, but that has absolutely no basis in fact. Athanasius was the first to give a list of what is now accepted as canonical texts late in the 4th century, although Metzger does argue that it is possible that Origen beat him to it. Trobisch argues that the canon was actually settled in the 2nd century already.

MissBehave

codeblue, exactly!!! Thank you. Who's Dan Brown?

slimboyfat

Where did you get the idea that Constantine had anything to do with forming the canon?

Dan Brown wrote The Da Vinci Code and has propagated lots of strange ideas like this.

MissBehave

dude, I've never even heard of Dan Brown and I don't think you can know what I've been reading.

My post didn't mention "canon". I was researching the origins of the bible, you know the one we have today with 66 books. I wanted to know how that particular form came to be. And everything I've read says that this form originated under Constantine's rule at his direction.

Man, you have a few doubts about the bible really being the inspired word of god and people start attacking you...

"the poster erroneusly state"...."I think you've been reading blah blah blah" . Reminds me of someplace else I've been that starts with a K and ends with a HALL.

slimboyfat

Yea, I don't know what you have been reading - that is why I ask (sheesh)

Where the 66 books came from - in other words the "canon" (sheesh again)

If "everyting you have read" says that Constantine decided on the 66 books, then you easily cite just one source, no?

I have read a number of books on this subject (Metzger, Trobisch, Bruce, Barclay, Ehrman and Westcott), and the only place I have heard this notion about Constantine having a say on the canon has not been in the academic literature, but from Dan Brown and those influenced by his skewed ideas.

XJW4EVR

dude, I've never even heard of Dan Brown

If you haven't heard of Dan Brown, then perhaps you might want to emerge from the rock you have been living under.

My ;post didn't mention "canon". I was researching the origins of the bible, you know the one we have today with 66 books. I wanted to know how that particular form came to be. And everything I've read says that this form originated under Constantine's rule at his direction.

This view has been parroted by Dan Brown in The DaVinci Code. Which is why some of us have asked whether or not you have read the book. If you read this in another book, then please reference it.

Man, you have a few doubts about the bible really being the inspired word of god and people start attacking you...

This is not attacking you as a person, it is attacking your statement. If you dont' know the difference, then might I suggest you study on debate, and just what ad hominem is?

the poster erroneusly state"...."I think you've been reading blah blah blah" ;. Reminds me of someplace else I've been that starts with a K and ends with a HALL.

No, it's an attempt to verify your source. This happens all the time in debates.

Lastly, I ended my qestioning of your source with this statement:

If I am incorrect, I appologize

You either failed to read or ignored this statement. That being said, since you claim not to have read The Davinci Code, and claim not to know who Dan Brown is, then I take you at face value, and appologize again for my presumption.

MissBehave

I have NEVER read the DaVinci code, folks. So let's move on from that. Also, I'm not interested in debating with any of you. I started this thread merely because I've begun to have some personal doubts about the bible being the inspired word of god and I just felt like sharing. I wasn't under the impression that I was going to have to "identify my sources" or justify why I think what I think. Share. Just share.

As far as my source?? What started my curiosity was someone's comments on here. From there I've just done some research online. No, I've not been to the library yet to do further research. Let the insults begin.

So did Constantine not commision the first "bible"? And if not, then who did? Someone else? One guy, a bunch of guys? Third century? Fourth century? Hundreds of years after Jesus' time?

Narkissos

Apparently Constantine asked Eusebius to provide for a number of normative "Bibles," which was just one step in the canon's settlement.

http://www.infidels.org/library/modern/richard_carrier/NTcanon.html

http://www.westarinstitute.org/Periodicals/4R_Articles/Canon/canon.html

Council of Nicaea / Arius / Constantine and the Bible

Share this