Reading Recommendation for Ancient Christian Heresies

May 14 • History

On May 30th, I'm doing a presentation on the Christian Apologetics network on ancient heretical Christian groups. Instead of showing merely that these heresies are not biblical, or that the Trinity is orthodox, I've decided to take the approach of showing why these heresies are NOT apostolic.

I think one way to advance the case for the Trinity being implicitly taught by the Old Testament/intertestamental communities is to demonstrate the counterfactual connection, that the same "implicit teaching" cannot be likewise said of the ancient Christian heresies.

Any reading/research recommendations that would aid the above "counterfactual argument?"

My preliminary research shows that refuting Walter Bauer's influential thesis is essential. He basically theorized that heresy arose before orthodoxy in Christian communities, and is arguably the foundation for low Christological theories for modern higher critics (of the likes of Elaine Pagels, Bart Ehrman, etc.). TA Robinson's "The Bauer Thesis Examined" is only available in hard-copy, but I have a pdf of Paul Hartog's "Orthodoxy and Heresy in Early Christian Contexts." I haven't taken looked at "Heresy of Orthodoxy" by Köstenberger and Kruger, since I'm generally skeptical of the findings from (presuppositional) "reformed epistemologists" by the likes of Kruger.

I would think the essays provided by Hartog should be enough, but I want to double-check my blind-spots if I'm missing anything essential.

Thanks!

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Reading Recommendation for Ancient Christian Heresies