Some Thoughts About the Canon and Participation

A Fragment of The Dead Sea Scrolls

Let's place ourselves in the 1st century, and do a little thought experiment.

If...

1. There is no such thing as Sacred Tradition -- the Bible is the sole rule of faith

AND

2. The Jews had the right to canonize the Old Testament -- and they did

3. Therefore (from #1), the canon of the New Testament (not a particular book) is a tradition of men

4. If it is a tradition of men, it makes the word of God of no effect (bearing in mind a first century Jew hearing and believing the words of Christ about tradition could come to this conclusion later)

5. If #'s 2-4, then the first century Jew would be right to reject the New Testament canon

6. Therefore, there is no New Testament canon

Now, thinking like a first century Jew and a Protestant Christian, a Protestant must admit #1, #3, #4. A Protestant may not admit #2, but then would have to admit to a Catholic canon -- which they do not. Since they do not admit to either a Catholic canon or #2, they would have to vest the Reformers with the authority to close the Old Testament canon.

If they admit to #2, then they admit that there is no New Testament canon.

Option 1: No New Testament canon
Option 2: The Reformers were graced to close the Old Testament canon

Note: This is a thought experiment. Any objections, rebuttals, etc. are appreciated and should be noted in the spirit of dialog not in a condescendingly pedagogical tone that assumes this was not a thought experiment. 

Thank you. - Staff

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Theological Aside

I notice when discussing the canon, that some Protestant views of the canon necessitate a kind of dictation theory regarding the inspiration of Scriptures. I notice this because of the resistance of the Protestant to admit to human agency, as if human agency diminishes the work of God. I find this is troubling (read the Old Testament).

I argue that Christian Scriptures are equally predicated on God's action and the author's action. In other words, Scripture is an expression of both God's logos and the author's unique logos. Through the diversity of authors, God communicates His will and plan and in so doing demonstrates His incredible power to use fragile creatures like you or I to relay the very words of God. Far from equivocal, each writer uses his unique style, experiences, and vantage to tell God's story. Through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, earthen vessels pour out heavenly wealth.

Did you know that Muslims reject Christian Scriptures for just this reason, and that they also reject Christ as God for the same reason? They see humanity and divinity as being incompatible. The Incarnation is scandalous. But we know that is not the Christian story...

The Participants

The Christian story is one of participation. A story where God asks Adam to garden, Noah to build a boat, and Moses to raise up his staff, all culminating in the ultimate participation: God becoming man. In this way, humanity is now forever in the God-head. So, through Christ we have been invited to participate in the Divine life of Love of the Holy Trinity. In the Holy Trinity there is no jealousy. That is why the Church being necessary for knowing the canon is completely compatible with God receiving all the glory. The Bible's description of God's jealousy was about us not giving Him all our love, not about His quantitative priority issues. He is not petty.

Instead, He invites the the Church He founded to participate with the Holy Spirit in leading the Church into all truth. Unlike the Old Testament, the spirit is in the Church not just with Her.

What is the canon, you ask?

Ask, the Church.

When you ask the Church, through her divine participation in the work of the Holy Spirit, you receive the mind of Christ who is the head of the Church.

Glory be to God!

Blessed Pope JPII, Curious George and Love

I need to take a break from blogging to finish up a book proposal I'm putting together. I'll talk more about the book at a later time. However, after experiencing a few unique moments with my children I couldn't stop this particular strand of thought from making it out of the insta-press that is blogging (or what I like to call "instant-printification"--actually Mark Shea has the best blog tag line along this theme).

I have always been the master of putting my children to sleep. No matter the age of the child, my presence and mad-daddy-skills brings calm and peace to my children, and upon a few minutes (or more than a few) of my firm yet delicate hand they are off in la-la-land. More than once, upon coming home from work only to find my wife searching for answers to a cranky child, I have deployed these skills which produce a secondary positive effect of a venerating spouse.

The other night while I was doing a very awkward dip and twist technique, trying to get my over-tired 6-month old beauty Gemma to bed, I had a realization about love. This epiphany was reinforced just two nights later as I sat in a rocking chair and--with a Thor-like aura--calmed my 2-1/2 year old son simply by being in the room. To keep myself occupied while he drifted away to dream about dinosaurs and candy, I grabbed the nearest book available and pretended to be as interested as possible. My take away: a refresher course on my A-B-C's under the tutelage of my childhood friend Curious George.

In both of these experiences I was reminded about the real meaning of love. Love is not about what we get. Love is about the other. Blessed Pope John Paul II in his teachings in Theology of the Body defined love as the "willed good of the other." I like this a lot. Love is not a feeling but a choice. Further, it is not a choice to get but rather to give and to give something in which you receive nothing in return.

As my precious daughter drifted away in my arms and my son snuggled into his sports themed blankie while I remembered that Zebra starts with Z, I was struck by how much I loved both of them so much. I could have cared less that my injured knee hurt or that I already knew Zebra started with Z, all that mattered is that they were loved. That is love.

Be back in a few days...