The Heresy of Orthodoxy: How Contemporary Culture’s Fascination With
Diversity Has Reshaped Our Understanding of Early Christianity, by
Andreas J. Köstenberger and Michael J. Kruger

booknews.com explains: “New Testament scholars Köstenberger (Southeastern Baptist
Theological Seminary) and Kruger (Reformed Theological Seminary,
North Carolina) challenge the pluralist and postmodernist purveyors
of religious diversity who claim that orthodoxy was grafted onto
Christianity rather than an original element of it. They argue that
the teachings of Jesus and the first Christians brought a unified
message that cannot be bent to convenience. Their topics are
pluralism and the origins of the New Testament; the development of
the New Testament canon; and manuscripts, scribes, and textual
transmission.”

Amazon.com adds: “Beginning with Walter Bauer in 1934, the denial
of clear orthodoxy in early Christianity has shaped and largely
defined modern New Testament criticism, recently given new life
through the work of spokesmen like Bart Ehrman. Spreading from
academia into mainstream media, the suggestion that diversity of
doctrine in the early church led to many competing orthodoxies is
indicative of today’s postmodern relativism. Authors Köstenberger
and Kruger engage Ehrman and others in this polemic against a dogged
adherence to popular ideals of diversity.”

“In the beginning was Diversity. And the Diversity was with God,
and the Diversity was God. Without Diversity was nothing made that
was made. And it came to pass that nasty old ‘orthodox’ people
narrowed down diversity and finally squeezed it out, dismissing it
as heresy. But in the fullness of time [i.e., the present],
Diversity rose up and smote orthodoxy hip and thigh. Now, praise be,
the only heresy is orthodoxy. As widely and as unthinkingly accepted
as this reconstruction is, it is historical nonsense: the emperor
has no clothes. I am grateful to Andreas Köstenberger and Michael
Kruger for patiently, carefully, and politely exposing this shameful
nakedness for what it is.” Thus readeth D.A. Carson’s endorsement,
also on Amazon. If you liked it, you’ll appreciate what several
other distinguished authorities say about this book on the same web
page.

http://www.apologia.org/html/apol_report.html

Note from Rowland: See also http://jmm.org.au/articles/11365.htm