Doesn't the position you take on [2] depend very heavily on how you define "original"?
I was under the impression that there was very little dissent between believers and critically-minded scholars alike over either:
(i) the texts that compose the New Testament (in particular) of the Bible have been well-preserved and accurately replicated with very few claims of interpolation or revision
(ii) The Synoptic Gospels were heavily influenced by at least one common source document which appears to be totally lost.
Comments
Doesn't the position you take on [2] depend very heavily on how you define "original"?
I was under the impression that there was very little dissent between believers and critically-minded scholars alike over either: (i) the texts that compose the New Testament (in particular) of the Bible have been well-preserved and accurately replicated with very few claims of interpolation or revision (ii) The Synoptic Gospels were heavily influenced by at least one common source document which appears to be totally lost.