Direct Answer
Bercot argues that Christians should take the early Christian writings seriously because they are historically well attested and not easily dismissed as later inventions or corruptions. Their preservation across ancient manuscripts, regions, and languages gives them value as a reliable historic source.
Support from Transcript
- He says, "next to Scripture itself, few ancient writings are better attested to than the early Christian writings of the first and second centuries." - Codex Sinaiticus, the oldest Greek manuscript of the entire New Testament, also contains "the Epistle of Barnabas" and part of "the Shepherd of Hermas." - Papyri from around 290 contain "a sizable portion of the Shepherd of Hermas." - Codex Alexandrinus contains Clement’s "Letter to the Corinthians" and the sermon known as "Second Clement." - He says the writings were preserved across places "from Western Europe to Africa" and "from the Middle East to Russia," and in many languages. - He adds, "I know of no scholar, Catholic, Protestant, or Agnostic, who questions the authenticity of these works."
Discussion Follow-ups
For Bercot, preservation does not make them Scripture, but it does make ignoring them irresponsible.