For the last generation or so there has been a growing interest in the origin of the Christian Bible but also in its development, continuing relevance, and future as a fixed collection of sacred writings. With little or no change in the biblical canon for some 400 years, there is now vigorous inquiry into its formation and even recommendations for changes in its contents.
Discoveries of ancient manuscripts such as the Dead Sea Scrolls and the ancient Greek and Latin translations of the Bible from the late 1800’s and up to the present have helped scholars get more than 1,000 years closer to the original biblical manuscripts than was possible before when the King James Bible was written. A series of questions are raised with these new findings. For instance, which text of scripture should the church use (original and earliest form or some of the later versions that were selected)? What were the requirements used by the early church leaders as they compiled the Old Testament and New Testament? Did they choose the right texts? How do we interpret the textual contradictions clearly present in the Bible? Is every word in the Bible divinely inspired? Furthermore, with so many biblical translations, is there a more accurate interpretation? These questions along with others relating to the origin of the Bible will be presented and explained by Dr. McDonald using the most modern resources available.
Approximately 7 hours of content
o 5:30 p.m. Dinner for Adults provided in Fellowship Hall
o 5:30-9:00 p.m. Dinner and Programs for Children provided in the Pre K/K Classroom
o 6:30-7:30 p.m. Session 1: The Origin of the Bible - Old Testament
o 7:40-9:00 p.m. Session 2: The Origin of the Bible - New Testament
o 8:00 a.m. Morning light continental breakfast in Fellowship Hall
o 8:30 a.m. Session 3: What is a Translation? What is a paraphrase? Which translation is best? Are there translations to avoid?
King James translation vs. modern translations.
o Session 4: The Transmission of the Bible: how the Bible has been passed down through the years.
o Session 5: The Inspiration and Authority of Scripture. What is the debate regarding Biblical inerrancy?
What are some common abuses using the bible?
o 12:00 p.m. Lunch
o 1:00 p.m Session 6: Is Holy Scripture Christian?
Can or should anything be added to the Bible?
Can the bible be compiled any better? Can we trust the Bible? Table discussions.
o Session 7: Did the Church Get it Right? How do we know?
Fundamentalism and Liberalism: Are either right or wrong ? Q&A.
o 3:30-4:15 p.m. Optional Q&A time
Hien Huynh
Dr. Lee Martin McDonald and his wife Mary have four children and five grandchildren. An ordained pastor, he retired as President of Acadia Divinity College and Professor of Biblical Studies in Wolfville, Nova Scotia, Canada in 2007. Dr. McDonald currently serves as Adjunct Professor of New Testament at Fuller Theological Seminary Southwest and is President of the Institute for Biblical Research, Inc. He received his B.A. from Biola University in CA, a Bachelor of Divinity from Talbot Theological Seminary in CA, a Th.M. from Harvard University, and Ph.D. from the University of Edinburgh, Scotland. He has published numerous articles, reviews, and books including The Formation of the Christian Biblical Canon, Early Christianity and Its Sacred Literature, and The Biblical Canon.
According to the Theological Book Review, “McDonald is one of the leading thinkers on the formation of canon and the historical reception of canonical literature…And…[The Biblical Canon] is still the best single-source for a grasp of the subject.”
Rob Wall, Professor of the Christian Scriptures at Seattle Pacific University comments, “Not only does McDonald seek to understand the complex and variegated phenomena of canon formation within the social worlds of both Judaism and earliest Christianity, he is ever alert to the serious theological and hermeneutical questions his discussion engenders about the nature and role of Scripture within today’s faith community.”
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