Of interest to the readers of PrimeTimeJesus: Christianity Today this week (April 23, 2008) published its article on the Greek New Testament manuscripts that the Center for the Study of New Testament Manuscripts discovered in Albania last summer. It appeared both as a full-length interview in the on-line version of CT and a shorter treatment in the print version for May 2008. In addition, the on-line CT had a sidebar discussing the story of the woman caught in adultery (John 7:53-8:11). For this article, the reporter interviewed a few scholars (including Ben Witherington, Craig Evans, Mike Holmes, and Doug Moo) about the authenticity of the pericope and, if inauthentic, how they viewed the story. This article was included because several of the newly discovered manuscripts in Albania either lacked the story or placed it at the end of John. Interesting perspectives on whether it should be treated as scripture and whether it was historical.
The on-line interview is found here: http://www.ctlibrary.com/ct/2008/aprilweb-only/117-32.0.html
The sidebar on John 7:53-8:11 is found here: http://www.ctlibrary.com/ct/2008/aprilweb-only/117-31.0.html
I find it telling, and encouraging, that Dan notes that he expects many more ancient manuscripts to come to light. Conservative scholars have been too often caricatured (and occasionally correctly characterized) as not believing in (or at least being worried about) new finds that could alter our understanding of the Bible or its world. Dan properly expects and welcomes such developments. And yet, as the interview also discloses, and indeed as such discoveries have consistently demonstrated, orthodox Christianity is not undermined, there is no reason to think that it will be, and claims to the contrary are simply misinformed.
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