Jumpstarter 7 of 10

Direct Answer Bercot’s standard is that what is “essential” to Christianity should be traceable in continuity back to the end of the first century; if it can’t, it should be treated as doubtful or at least not “the historic faith.” If a doctrine truly is historic, he says it should be easy to cite many early witnesses—not just later theologians.

Support from Transcript:

• He asks why these men are famous if they merely taught what was always taught: “why are they so prominent…why have they had such influence?”
• He argues their authority is tied to novelty: “the whole reason…Augustine [is] famous is that [he] taught things that no one before [him] had ever taught.”
• He challenges defenders: “why can no one produce the writings of any Christians who taught the same thing before these theologians did?”
• He provides a principle: “we should question any new dogmas that go beyond the simple faith.”
• He sets a boundary: “If a continuity of belief can’t be traced back to the end of the first century, we can hardly claim that it’s the historic faith.”
• He contrasts with historic faith: then you can cite “many faithful Christians” before theologians arose.