How can historians distinguish what Jesus actually said and did from what later Christian communities attributed to him? What methods allow us to separate historical memory from theological interpretation? On what grounds can we confidently assert that any particular Gospel account reflects historical reality rather than pious fiction?

What is a miracle? Can such events occur within a law-governed universe? What counts as historical evidence for them? And how do different religious traditions understand the supernatural? This study examines objections to miracles and offers responses.

Who decided which books belong in the Bible, and by what criteria? Why are some ancient writings, such as the so‑called “Gnostic gospels,” excluded? Did church councils merely recognize an existing canon or create it? Can we trust that no inspired books were left out or that no merely human books were added? How do differences between Jewish, Catholic, Orthodox, and Protestant canons affect claims about biblical authority? These questions are dealt with in this study.