History of the Bible: The Making of the New Testament Canon

Overview

Course No. 6299

This 12-lecture course by Professor Bart D. Ehrman explores the historical development of the New Testament canon. Moving beyond theological perspectives, it examines how linguistic, cultural, and political forces shaped the collection of Christian scriptures we know today.

You’ll investigate key questions: Why were Paul’s letters the first Christian writings? How were Gospel traditions transmitted orally before being written down? What criteria determined which books were included or excluded? The course provides essential context for understanding early Christianity’s formative period.

Video Lectures

01: The New Testament—An Overview (32 min)

Examine the basic facts about New Testament books: authorship, dating, and original languages.

02: Paul—Our Earliest Christian Author (31 min)

Discover why Paul’s Epistles predate the Gospels and how ancient letter-writing practices affect interpretation.

03: The Pauline Epistles (30 min)

Analyze Paul’s major theological teachings and how he addressed problems in early Christian communities.

04: The Problem of Pseudonymity (31 min)

Investigate ancient forgery practices and determine which Pauline letters might be pseudonymous.

05: The Beginnings of the Gospel Traditions (31 min)

Trace how oral traditions about Jesus circulated before being written as Gospels.

06: The Earliest Gospels (30 min)

Compare Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John—their sources, messages, and historical reliability.

07: The Other Gospels (31 min)

Explore non-canonical Gospels and reasons for their exclusion from the New Testament.

08: Apocalypticism and the Apocalypse of John (31 min)

Decode the Book of Revelation’s symbolism in its original apocalyptic context.

09: The Copyists Who Gave Us Scripture (31 min)

Understand why Christianity became a book-based religion and how texts circulated.

10: Authority in the Early Church (31 min)

Learn how church leaders determined which books to include in the canon.

11: The Importance of Interpretation (30 min)

Examine early Christian hermeneutics and challenges of figurative readings.

12: When Did the Canon Get Finalized? (31 min)

Discover the 27-book canon’s formation process and books that nearly made the cut.