Exploring the Origins of the New Testament Canon and Other Biblical and Theological Issues

κανών, kanōn: rule or standard; collection of biblical books.

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Making a Name for Ourselves

In the year 1907, Bruce Ismay had a dream. He was going to make a name for himself. He was going to be famous. And he would do it by building the world’s largest moving object. It would be something amazing. Incredible. Magnificent. Opulent.

Colossal stepped tower rising above an ancient desert city

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Parenting

Finally, a Children’s Book that Addresses One of Life’s Hardest Questions!

As parents, we all have dreams for our children. We want them to succeed in school, excel in sports, make good friends, and grow to be healthy, well-balanced adults. But, as Christians, are dreams are bigger than these things. Our hope is not only that our children are good citizens of earth, but genuine citizens...

October 7, 2026

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Authority of Scripture

An Exciting Announcement to Share!

Big news! My wife Melissa and I have just launched a website to be the new online home for our ministry content. It’s called Word First, and we are thrilled. For years, we’ve been laboring in our respective ministry areas and have produced content on our blogs Canon Fodder and Wit’s End. And that will...

September 28, 2026

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Eschatology

The End of the End

My Upcoming Lecture on the Second Coming in the Book of Revelation

Pepuza. That’s not a name that probably means anything to modern ears. In the late the second century, a radical self-proclaimed prophet named Montanus declared that Pepuza—a remote village in Phrygia (modern date Turkey)—would be the location of the second coming.   His prophecies were accompanied by ecstatic experiences and strange utterances, thought by his...

September 21, 2026

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Parenting

Finally, a Children’s Book that Addresses One of Life’s Hardest Questions!

As parents, we all have dreams for our children. We want them to succeed in school, excel in sports, make good friends, and grow to be healthy, well-balanced adults. But, as Christians, are dreams are bigger than these things. Our hope is not only that our children are good citizens of earth, but genuine citizens...

October 7, 2026

Articles

Authority of Scripture

An Exciting Announcement to Share!

Big news! My wife Melissa and I have just launched a website to be the new online home for our ministry content. It’s called Word First, and we are thrilled. For years, we’ve been laboring in our respective ministry areas and have produced content on our blogs Canon Fodder and Wit’s End. And that will...

September 28, 2026

Articles

Eschatology

The End of the End

My Upcoming Lecture on the Second Coming in the Book of Revelation

Pepuza. That’s not a name that probably means anything to modern ears. In the late the second century, a radical self-proclaimed prophet named Montanus declared that Pepuza—a remote village in Phrygia (modern date Turkey)—would be the location of the second coming.   His prophecies were accompanied by ecstatic experiences and strange utterances, thought by his...

September 21, 2026

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Historical Jesus

Do the Gospels Contain Eyewitness Testimony? An Overlooked Aspect of the Debate

Since the Gospels are Greco-Roman biographies, we should not be surprised that their authors would want to include eyewitness testimony. After all, the principle that historical accounts should be based on eyewitness reports (either directly indirectly) was an established value among all the ancient historians ranging from Herodotus to Thucydides to Polybius and even to...

July 14, 2026

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Bible Difficulties

Two Resources for Your High School Graduate

High school graduation is almost here. I know what that’s like, because I’ve been through it three times. As parents, we have one simple question on our mind: Have I done a good job preparing my child for college? Every Christian parent wonders this. We pray that we’ve adequately prepared our high school graduate to...

May 13, 2026

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Ancient Manuscripts

A New Academic Volume on the Origins of the New Testament Canon

It goes without saying that not all academic sub-disciplines (especially in the field of biblical studies) generate the same level of scholarly interest. Some fields are more active; others less so. And it can change from generation to generation. When I was doing my work with Larry Hurtado years ago at the University of Edinburgh,...

May 1, 2026

A Vast Collection of Resources

Explore a wide range of resources on the origins of the New Testament, and other theological issues

About Dr.
Michael J. Kruger

Welcome to the website of Michael J. Kruger, the Samuel C. Patterson Chancellor’s Professor of New Testament and Early Christianity at Reformed Theological Seminary.

Featured Content

Sarah Eekhoff Zylstra sat down with New Testament scholar Michael J. Kruger, one of Ehrman’s former students, to talk about Ehrman’s arguments on why he doesn’t believe in God. Kruger has found that, unlike Ehrman, the study of biblical manuscripts has strengthened his faith.
When did Christians first recognize the biblical canon and how do we know we have the right books? On the Sean McDowell Show, Dr. Michael Kruger unpacks what “canon” means, why recognition began far earlier than the 4th century, and how both intrinsic factors (covenant, apostles) and extrinsic factors (heretics like Marcion) shaped the process.
Michael Kruger challenges the modern assumption that the Bible was chosen arbitrarily. With clarity and care, he explores the historical, theological, and cultural evidence that the canon wasn’t imposed, but emerged within the early Christian community.
Colossal stepped tower rising above an ancient desert city

Making a Name for Ourselves

Finally, a Children’s Book that Addresses One of Life’s Hardest Questions!

An Exciting Announcement to Share!

The End of the End

Do the Gospels Contain Eyewitness Testimony? An Overlooked Aspect of the Debate

Two Resources for Your High School Graduate

Latest Books

The Good News Family Devotional: 52 Weeks Through The Gospel of Mark

Written for ordinary families with full schedules, this flexible, Christ-centered guide will help you engage your children with consistency and purpose. Let your hearts be refreshed each day as you meditate on the life and ministry of Jesus together.

Latest Books

Miniature Codices in Early Christianity

This volume is the first full-length monograph on the phenomenon of the miniature codex, offering a framework for distinguishing miniature codices from other tiny texts (e.g. amulets), exploring their practical and iconic functions, and, perhaps most importantly, assembling a detailed catalogue of all known Christian and Greek miniature codices. This distinctive book format provides an essential window into the textual, literary, and visual culture of early Christianity, shedding fresh light on how and why Christians were considered people of the book.

Latest Books

Surviving Religion 101: Letters to a Christian Student on Keeping the Faith in College

For many young adults, the college years are an exciting period of self discovery full of new relationships, new independence, and new experiences. Yet college can also be a time of personal testing and intense questioning― especially for Christian students confronted with various challenges to Christianity and the Bible for the first time. Drawing on years of experience as a biblical scholar, Michael Kruger addresses common objections to the Christian faith―the exclusivity of Christianity, Christian intolerance, homosexuality, hell, the problem of evil, science, miracles, and the reliability of the Bible.

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