Bart D. Ehrman is a popular author and theologian. He chairs the Department of Religious Studies at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. His expertise is early Christian history, especially the collection, copying, and canonization of early texts. The term “canonization” implies that some texts were chosen but also that others were not, and Lost Christianities, The Battles for Scripture and the Faiths We Never Knew treats those that were rejected.
There is a scene in the movie “Ten Commandments” in which Charlton Heston as Moses watches as God’s heavenly finger scribes on stone tablets. Vestiges of this image persist in Christendom, expressed in adjectives applied to Biblical texts such as “inerrant”, “infallible”, and even the more moderate “inspired”. Even the canonical process of selecting certain texts and rejecting others is seen as guided by the Holy Spirit. Erhman seeks to debunk such notions, and his ideas are unsettling to many.
Ehrman is good at rewriting history.
It does seem to me that Ehrman in acting as cheer leader for ancient heresies crosses the line and is really close to endorsing a “cafeteria christian” view – a little of this, a little of that, add a slight dash of a really tasty ancient heresy that went out of fashion centuries ago, and BINGO! You have your own highly individualized, made just for you, “god in a box”, version – so you can believe what you want to believe. After all, if you are the customer of the religion, you have the right to “have it your way” – right? Why should any heresy be labeled a deviation?
If folks come away from Ehrman with that view, then that’s what I call the “Crusader view”. You remember those folks? They did that. Paint a cross on your shield, engrave “GOD!” on your sword or axe. Then, it’s business as usual – murder, rape, pillage … same old stuff … only now you can deduct it on your 1040 under itemized schedule A, charitable contribution to the church.
But wait a minute … if our ancestors failed to be convinced by those “various forms of early Christianity” … maybe it is because they smelled something fake and corrupt wafting from those various forms. Ehrman’s criticism of the process of canonization seems to be shooting the messengers who transmitted the orthodox teaching to us. No fair.
@Keith Homstad
Keith,
I think you’re right. By treating all early theologies equally and making no value judgment about them, is that not itself a value judgment?