Before you watch the video, I have an important piece of information.    

This video might not be what you expect. 

All my life, I've heard the following questions—usually, in a title for a forthcoming class.

"How do we know we have the right books in our Bible?" 
"Is it possible one or more books were wrongly added or left out?"
"How do we know we have the right Bible?"

The answer to these questions—in every instance that I know of—is assumed to be, "Yes, we have all the right books, and we will prove that to you in this class!  Come see!"

This video is not that. 

So here's "the important piece of info":  This video assumes as demonstrated already that there is a verifiable and very sharp distinction between the words scripture and canon.  They do not mean the same thing, and the word usually translated "scripture" (graphē ) in biblical texts does not imply canon.  This video will not try to prove that point; it is assumed to be already demonstrated.  Lest this is thought to be an oversight, or a gaff of some kind, that case is argued in great detail in the 175 page book Graphē in Biblical and Related Literature (2018), in which every instance of the word graphē in biblical and related literature is examined (including OT, NT, Apocrypha, Pseudepigrapha, Philo, Josephus).  

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. . . when did Christians decide that
"the truth will make you free"
really means that
we stop asking honest questions . . .
and we stop seeking honest answers . . . ?

_______________________________

With that study as something of a starting point, this video moves to a more fundamental question.  A question that is a real question.  A question that does not have an assumed answer already built in.  A question that most Christians I'm aware of don't know how to ask or don't want to ask.  A question that makes (many) preachers either uneasy or possibly even angry, or both.  Even so, it's a question that needs to be asked, faced, and addressed.  Seriously.  Honestly.  Without assuming the answer. 

And what is that question?  

Here it is.  "Whose idea was canon in the first place?"  Of course, it is nearly everywhere assumed that,  "It was God's idea!"  But was it?  How do we show that?  Is this stated in our biblical texts?  Anywhere?  

This video will pursue a form of that question:  "Is it really true that there was ever supposed to be a single, one and only, once-for-all canon of scriptures?  Is it true that only one Bible can be the real Bible and that all the others are just wrong?"  (Ok, that's two questions, but they are the same question asked in different ways.)  

Like you, I already know the gut-level answer to that.  I was taught it just like you were.  I know what I'm supposed to say.  I know what I'm expected to say.  I know what I had better say.  

But when did Christians decide that "the truth will set you free" really means that we stop asking honest questions (since we already have and know the truth), and we stop seeking honest answers (so we don't end up causing trouble, or lose our jobs, or . . .)? 

If Jesus taught us anything, it's that our "tried and true" traditional questions and answers are not always very reliable. 

The video asks you to stop for awhile and to think about this.  You don't have to agree.  But spend some time thinking about this. 

Please understand.  The gravity of this whole issue about canon is not lost on me.  I am neither cavalier about this, nor am I interested in mere "deconstruction."  I am attempting a faithful response to serious questions.    

Finally, this video is based on chapter 6 of the book Scripture, Canon, & Inspiration (2012)—adapted,  expanded a bit, and brought to life here.

Enjoy the video.

Gary D. Collier

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