@elfrowan replied to your post “So, I can’t really link to this because I’m doing one of the “Great...”
1) Yes, not all of the epistles were written by Paul. Matthew, Peter, and the other church leaders wrote others. And Paul wrote a bunch of other letters that were never included/added to the Bible (He makes mention of such letters in the letters that are in the Bible). I'd suggest doing more research on the topic before re-arranging your worldview. Historical and Translation science has the same number of factions and debates in it as every field of science. 2) I knew one Bible Professor, who felt that the NIV was a very well done translation, and would spend whole classes talking about why a word was translated one way in one version and another way in another. 3) My brother knew another Bible professor who made a view that the Bible was not trustworthy (this was when he attended Bible Collage) who may to have been a key in undercutting my brother's faith. He recently came back to Christ thanks to his now-wife, a theology student. TL:DR Please do more research from more sources before letting it affect your Christian walk.
I need to clarify and expound. When I get shocked and upset, I am very imprecise with my language.
The first thing I need to say is that this has not undermined my belief in God. This has undermined my trust in 1&2 Timothy and Titus. And two verses in 1 Corinthians. (while we’re at it, the closing 9 or so verses of Mark, but that has more to do with my footnote rant and is kind of separate)
The second thing I need to clarify is, when I flailed about not all the epistles being written by Paul... that was a miscarriage of what I was meaning to convey. Because, as noted, flailing in shock. What I mean is this: 1&2 Timothy and Titus claim to be written by Paul. And IF Paul didn’t write them, then whatever doctrine is in them and whatever intentions the author may have had, it is poisoned by the fact that its author was lying.
The third thing I should clarify is, yes. This is a highly emotional initial flail. I am not nearly done researching. It’s taken me, what... two years? To get here. I’m still in absorption stages, but I can and will react if something impacts me strongly like this. I’m not nearly done and I’m not walking away but this is kind of a big deal.
The last thing I will say is that Ehrman is teaching a basics 101 level course on the New Testament, here, and is saying phrases like, “Most scholars agree.” Which, yes, I need to check on those “most scholars.” For the moment I’m just double checking the wiki page to refresh my admittedly non-retentive memory for details, but apparently the non-contested letters are: Romans, 1&2 Corinthians, Galations, Philippians, 1 Thessalonians, and Philemon. There are DISPUTES about whether Ephesians, Colossians, 2 Thessalonians, 1&2 Timothy, and Titus were written by him or were forgeries, and Ehrman’s stance is that while there’s some argument about this group, it’s almost un-arguable that 1&2 Timothy and Titus were forgeries under Paul’s name, given theological contradictions, VAST vocabulary differences (not negligible), and presupposition of historical context that didn’t occur until the next century. Breakdown can be seen on this wiki which is basically what Ehrman was saying, though he said it much more accessibly than this wiki.
And yes I am VERY upset (mixed with a strange relief, but that’s another topic) and yes I will do more research but the truth matters to me. It matters to me and it matters to God and I do believe that if I’m looking for truth He’ll meet me in that search. I’m scared and I’m upset but it isn’t because I question if God is real and alive in my life, I don’t even question that God finds ways to use mistakes we’ve made as humans to bring out good, but if there are parts of the Bible that we find out were based on a lie? If they REALLY are? That should matter. That does NOT mean throw out everything in the whole Bible. But I will not accept someone from ancient times advising church doctrine or propounding Christian living who starts their foundation on a falsehood. In addition I HIGHLY object that we (I assume this is a generality, correct me if I am wrong) are not informed in churches that this dispute is even a thing. That PARTS have reasonable suspicion cast on them, no, they’re TAUGHT OUT OF. REGULARLY. Because... why? The laypeople can’t handle it? When has that ever gone right? Again, IF what Ehrman says is true, if these agreeing scholars aren’t out of left field, it matters.
(also, while I am very upset, please know, I’m not angry at you and not hostile at you, I’m just kind of in a state of shock and my anger is currently directed at first and second century forgers at large, so my words are probably coming off a lot more terse)