Biblical Introduction: Understanding the Debate on Closed Canon

This paper discusses the debate on closed canon in the Biblical Introduction. It defines canon and describes the process of canonisation. It also presents arguments for and against closed canon and concludes that the Biblical canon is closed.

Running head: BIBLICAL INTRODUCTION
Biblical Introduction
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1BIBLICAL INTRODUCTION
The Biblical canon has long been a significant topic of debate for various scholars.
Some suggests that the scriptures is a unity provided by God himself and that, and they are
complete in every aspects and hence, they are closed. They claim that the books that belong
in the Bible cannot be added to. They extricate themselves from such debates over the
tradition as well as the authority of Church being the main basis for the inclusion in the
canon. However, there are other scholars as well who hold on to open canon and have some
really valid arguments to claim that. However, this paper shall elaborate on positioning on
closed canon. In order to do so, firstly, the paper shall define what “canon” is and then, the
process of canonisation shall be described.
Canon refers to the books of the Bible that were accepted. According to Muller and
Kummerling-Meibauer (2016), “canon is a stemming from the ‘Greek Kanon’, meaning ‘list’,
‘rule’, or ‘standard’”. It is to state that the biblical canon is the “collection of biblical books
that the Christians accept as uniquely authoritative”. There are 66 books in the protestant
canon- the other Christian traditions differ- aiding to some books that are often regarded as
deuterocanonical books or “Apocrypha”. This term suggests that the books that include the
Bible are the rule of faith that is been divinely inspired by the God. According to Williamson
(2017), the formation of the canon have come about due to the impact of the God who wanted
the church to preserve the teaching of Jesus Christ as well as his apostles. It is because of the
fact that the teachings of Jesus Christ was regarded as a fulfilment of the Old Testament as
well as a new revelation in the redemptive plan of God for the mankind. The evangelical
Christians beliefs the fact that all the scripture is inspired by God himself and are profitable
for teaching, for correcting, for rebuking as well as for training in the righteousness, in order
to ensure that the man of God is complete and is equipped for all the good works. However, it
is to be mentioned in this context that there is no scriptural instruction found where it is told

2BIBLICAL INTRODUCTION
that the early Church has formed a canon. There is no such word to be appeared in the
Scripture.
As per the Hjalm (2015), the church councils of the 4th and the 5th century hardly
formalised the prevailing practice and belief in regard to the New Testament Canon. Most of
the scholars have claimed that the formation of the New Testament Canon was urged on by
the Marcion as well as his release of the Gnostic canon that had forced the church for
defining what up to that time had accepted as scriptures in formal manner. However, there are
many basic positions over New Testament Canon- the very first is that- the New Testament is
one of the human anthologies of divinely inspired write ups. As per (Gordon), this point of
view denies the fact that God is the main creator of scripture. According to him, the thing that
is there in Scripture is “the whole counsel of man” and not of the God. This depicts a shadow
over all the scripture and this supports the idea of open canon.
Secondly, according to Enns (2015), the New Testament is an entity that, along
with the Old Testament, give the word of God and at the same time, brings his authority to
the expression, in absence of any kind of restriction, and that too, in an absolute and definite
manner. However, it is to state that, within this point of view, there are many groups who
hold different emphasis on the basis for the canonicity. Thirdly, according to Green (2018),
the New Testament is a complete entity that is shaped by the God but is continuously being
updates by the new disclosure, that is, the living prophetic voices of the church. However,
notwithstanding the above mentioned fact, this view is in one way or the other, makes
differences in between the canonical and completed revelations for the whole church as well
as on the ongoing private revelation to the individuals. With the same, it also goes beyond the
bible and particularly, it addresses the life situations of an individual. Hence, this view also
sets the door open for an open canon.

3BIBLICAL INTRODUCTION
There are many who claimed that holding the position of a close canon means to
lock one’s self into the fact that tradition is the key to canonicity. Gordon and several other
scholars have claimed that the key marker for the concept of canonicity is the “redemption
history” as well as its history by means of revelation. For them, the issue is, it is God who
have given the Canon and has completely overlooked the establishment for giving a complete
picture of it in regard to his provision for the common people in Jesus Christ. It has been
depicted in the history of the Old Testament Canon with the closure of the prophetic
utterance as well as the close of the canon. There grew the necessity of a new canon after the
fulfilment of the Old Testament with the coming of Jesus Christ. White (2017) also contends
the notion that, with the closure of the New Testament canon, there comes the end of the
apostolic utterances and therefore, there is absolutely no need for further revelation until
Jesus Christ comes once again on Earth for fulfilling the covenant. They have explained that
the times of non-activity in the history of the redemption is equal to the times of silence in the
history of the revelation.
Moreover, according to Hyun (2015) in his book- Redemptive-Historical
Hermeneutics and Homiletics: Debates in Holland, America, and Korea from 1930 to
2012. Herman Ridderbos has depicted a total of three elements for the redemptive-historical
notion of canon. These are- a) that of the exclusive authority, as per the consent of the
apostles by Jesus Christ himself; b) that of one of the qualitatively closed unities, as per the
unique and unrepeatable character of the apostolic witness; c) that of the stabilisation and
fixation, as per its destination as depositum custody and foundation of the church. However,
there are several strengths and weaknesses of a close canon. The very first strength to
mention is that a close cannon ignores the conflicts over whether any new writing is required
to be included in the Canon and also, it gives a very stable and unifying position in against of
the ones who want not include some specific books as they does not agree with their

4BIBLICAL INTRODUCTION
individual theology from doing so. Secondly, accepting the concept of closed canon means
the acceptance of all the scripture that contained in its covers and which forces the readers to
deal with of the scripture as well as not to suffer blindness. In this way, it is giving unity to
the scripture. Furthermore, the idea of close canon generates a confidence within the
evangelist about what he is preaching is the complete story of the redemptive plan that God
has made for the mankind.
On the other hand, the weaknesses of it include- the idea of close canon fails to
provide liberty of conscience in establishing what is canon in true terms. With the same, it
could result in the accusation that it is compelled by the tradition and not by the inspiration of
God. Thus, this would give the impression of equal status to the traditions and the scripture.
Also, in such a world that is looking for the answers by holding on to the idea of closed
canon, the church is likely to be shut off from carrying on the revelation process, which
successfully keeps the church relevant to the community in which it witnesses. Lastly, it is
also to note that, the idea of closed canon has the potential to give the impression of
infallibility of the church councils. This in turn could be a significant challenge for the ones
who have a cultural background.
Hence, from the above analysis it is to be concluded that there is ample of weight
of evidences on both the sides- whether canon is close or open- to make it difficult to be
dogmatic over the debate. There are some scholars who hold the idea that the canon is open.
However, it is highly problematic for many different reasons. Also, the other scholars have
also been able to give a very clear and valid arguments supporting the open canon. With the
same, the arguments of Ridderbos and others for a closed canon are also undeniable and just.
However, the arguments provided by Gordon supporting a closed canon is the most valid and
logical one. Hence, it is to state that the Biblical cannon is closed.

5BIBLICAL INTRODUCTION
References:
Enns, P. (2015). Inspiration and incarnation: Evangelicals and the problem of the Old
Testament. Baker Academic.
Gordon, B. L. (2014). Scandal of the Evangelical Mind: A Biblical and Scientific Critique of
Young-Earth Creationism. Science, Religion and Culture, 1(3), 144-173.
Green, J. B. (2018). The Strange Case of the Vanishing Soul. The Blackwell Companion to
Substance Dualism, 427-436.
Hjälm, M. L. (2015). The Christian Arabic Book of Daniel. Extant versions, canonical
constellations, and relation to the liturgical practice, with an Appendix of'The Song of
the Three Young Men'. Collectanea Christiana Orientalia, 12, 115-178.
Hyun, Y. H. (2015). Redemptive-Historical Hermeneutics and Homiletics: Debates in
Holland, America, and Korea from 1930 to 2012. Wipf and Stock Publishers.
Müller, A., & Kümmerling-Meibauer, B. (2016). Historical Twists and Turns in the Polish
Canon of Children’s Literature. In Canon Constitution and Canon Change in
Children’s Literature (pp. 97-114). Routledge.
White, A. (2017). A History of the Warfare of Science with Theology in Christendom:
Volume 1, From Creation to the Victory of Scientific and Literary Methods.
Routledge.

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Williamson, C. M. (2017). Has God Rejected His People?: Anti-Judaism in the Christian
Church. Wipf and Stock Publishers.