Notes on the New Testament Before Faith (NTBF) is about understanding the New Testament as a collection of ancient literature with a history that can be distinguished from the theological implications of that history. This history is the basis of a compelling call to faith in Jesus Christ. Faith in Christ is rooted in history because faith is the reasonable response to that history. That’s why God commands it.
In searching out this history, we are seeking to know for sure, “Is what we have what the authors wrote?” and “Are the authors who we think they are?” Being more specific, “Is the New Testament we read today the definitive collection and accurate reproduction of all that Jesus’ apostles – that is, his contemporaries – wrote in the 1st century?”
The NTBF majors on New Testament authors, texts, formation, and preservation – in other words, the New Testament as a literary collection – a 4th-century collection of 1st-century texts.
Authors – Understanding who wrote the 27 individual texts
Texts – Making sure that through the copies we have, getting the best possible representation of the originals.
Formation – How the New Testament came to be formed – understanding the decisions about which writings made it in and which were left out.
Preservation – How the 27 individual texts, as well as the collection as a whole, have been preserved from their beginnings until now.
The Duty of a Man 