The Making of the New Testament

"The Making of the New Testament" by Benjamin Wisner Bacon is a scholarly historical account written in the early 20th century. This work delves into the formation and canonization of the New Testament, exploring the critical and historical underpinnings that led to the establishment of these writings as sacred scripture within Christianity. At the start of the text, the author introduces a paradox related to the development of the New Testament literature, emphasizing the tension between the early Christian movement's rejection of rigid canonical structures and their eventual acceptance of a formal canon. Bacon highlights the transformative roles of Jesus and Paul in this process, detailing how their teachings sought to liberate faith from legalistic practices and brought forth a new understanding of God's relationship with humanity. This opening sets the stage for a deeper examination of the historical evolution of early Christian texts and their significance in shaping the faith. (This is an automatically generated summary.)

Benjamin Wisner Bacon was an American theologian. He was born in Litchfield, Connecticut and graduated from Yale College in 1881 and Yale Divinity School in 1884. After serving in pastorates at Old Lyme, Connecticut (1884–1889), and at Oswego, New York (1889–1896), he was made an instructor in New Testament Greek at Yale Divinity School and became in 1897 professor of New Testament criticism and exegesis. The degrees D.D., Litt.D., and LL.D. were conferred upon him. Besides contributions to the Hibbert Journal and to the American Journal of Theology, his writings include:The Genesis of Genesis (1891) Triple Tradition of the Exodus (1894) The Sermon on the Mount (1902) The Story of St. Paul (1904) An Introduction to the New Testament (1907) The Founding of the Church (1909) The Fourth Gospel in Research and Debate (1909) Jesus the Son of God (1911) The Making of the New Testament (1912) Theodore Thornton Munger (1914) Is Mark a Roman Gospel? (1919) The Gospel of Mark: Its composition and date (1925)