Final Flashcards
How did Christianity influence society with regard to the value of life
life was not precious in pagan cultures: infant sacrifice, infanticide, wealthy families would not allow girl babies to live
Christians opposed infanticide, and took in abandoned children
how Christians treated the dispossessed: outlawed branding of prisoners/slaves, separated male and female prisoners, condemned suicide
How did Christianity influence society with regard to sexual morals
promiscuity was so common that marriage hardly existed
homosexuality activity was common, especially with young boys
prohibition of child molestation is a christian invention
privacy of sex has christian roots
How did Christianity influence society with regard to education
first to educate girls
advocated for universal education for all
set up first public school system in Germany
Braille, sign language created by Christians
universities began as church schools
EVIDENCE FOR SUPERNATURAL NATURE OF THE BIBLE
It’s unity (lack of contradictions despite many authors over a long period)
preservation from persecution
accurate transmission via manuscripts
fulfilled prophecy
TRANSMISSION OF THE BIBLE. MANUSCRIPT EVIDENCE
NT has about 20,000 lines and 40 are in doubt
Illiad has 15,600 lines and 764 in doubt
Mahabarata has 250,000 lines and 26,000 in doubt
How do we choose between different “readings” of a passage in the few cases where there is a difference in manuscripts?
External: older reading, widest geographical distribution, supported by the most manuscript families, the reading that best explains the others
Transciptional: more difficult, shorter, less polished. Intrinsic: fits style of author, context, author’s background
How can we figure out that a different reading is an error?
Knowing how errors come about
When copying from another manuscript: skipping words or lines, putting in synonyms, inserting words from a parallel passage
When hearing someone read it aloud and copying: mishearing one word for another
Did Israel consider the canon closed?
Yes
there was wide agreement that the prophetic voice was silent
There is no debate about it in the gospels
no one asked Jesus about it
It was a settled issue
when was the canon finalized within the church
late 4th century
What can we conclude were the criteria for choosing what was canonical and what was not?
written by a true prophet or apostle?
was the writer miraculously confirmed?
does the message agree with existing revelation
are the predictions accurate?
did the message come with the power of God
did the people of God accept it?
What are the main points of the case against the apocrypha, which the Catholic Church considers scriptural?
NT never refers to an apocryphal book as authoritative or canonical
no council of the entire church in the first four centuries favored it
Which empire mentioned in the Bible was said not to exist a century ago?
the Hittite empire
What is the significance of discovering the Code of Hammurabi, Lachish letters (la KISH), Ebla?
COH: many scholars denied that Moses could have written Penteteuch bc such a detailed and sophisticated moral code was not possible
LL: tells of Nebuchadnezzar besieging Jerusalem, supports the historicity of the capture and exile
Ebla: show political and economic situtation in 2580-2250 BC
How has Luke’s accuracy been proven?
recorded events in 32 countries and provinces, 54 cities, 9 islands
never made a single error in his use of political titles or location of boundaries
Why does J. W. Montgomery believe that the Bible can be accepted as evidence even though it can’t be cross examined?
the extreme opposition to the Gospels at the time of their writing provides a real world cross examination
had critics of Christianity found an mistakes or falsehoods, they would have made damaging attacks early on
What is the ancient documents rule?
provides an exception to the hearsay rule because an old document cannot be cross-examined yet it can be admitted as having evidentiary value
What is transmissional reliability, internal reliability, and external reliability?
tr: their texts have been transmitted accurately from the time of writing to our own day
ir: they claim to be primary source document and ring true as such
er: their authorship and dates are backed up by solid extrinsic testimony
What is the minimal facts argument as proposed by Gary Habermas?
Argue from what virtually all scholars of every belief agree upon–even those hostile to Christianity
Show the resurrection is the best explanation for what virtually every scholar agrees upon
Why does Habermas think the minimal facts approach is necessary
It takes a lot to prove the veracity of the Bible, and, we routinely accept the historical accounts of ancient authors while dismissing their religious beliefs as fanciful
There is nothing to stop a modern reader from accepting the Bible as essentially historical, yet discounting the important spiritual content, such as the incarnation and resurrection
The Minimal Fact agreed upon by virtually every scholar:
- Jesus died by crucifixion.
- Jesus’ disciples believed that He rose and appeared to them.
- Paul, who had been persecuting the church, was suddenly changed.
- James, the skeptical brother of Jesus, suddenly changed.
5 could be the empty tomb but there is not agreement on that
What extra-biblical sources do we have for the life of Jesus?
Suetonius Tacitus Pliny the Talmud Josephus
What in the gospels makes the account of the empty tomb believable?
Christianity would not have survived
The accounts are early in the history of Christianity thus not an embellishment
No rival account
no veneration of a tomb
women are prominently featured
theological themes are absent {showing it is simple history, before the theology was added, such as in the writings of Paul}
there are some difficulties harmonizing the gospels {showing they are not contrived}
the accounts are integral to the gospels {thus not a later embellishment}
IT IS NOT A DOCTRINE THAT WOULD BE MADE UP by or for Greeks or Jews because it did not fit their views.]
What use of literature does Montgomery suggest?
you can write stories that teach Christian truth and themes
God cannot be three and one
3 persons in 1 Godhead
important distinction
