Question:
Answer:
First, convey to your atheist friend that original copies of Plato, Aristotle and Homer’s works don’t exist, yet no credible historian questions their historical authenticity, including whether these prominent ancient men wrote their respective works. Similarly, while we don’t have the original copies of the gospels, we do have rather early manuscripts and fragments, and many when compared to the number of other ancient written works.
In addition, St. Matthew and St. John were eyewitnesses to the life of Jesus and St. Mark and St. Luke relied on the reports of eyewitnesses.
For more on the origin and authorship of the four gospels, please see this article from our Catholic Answers Magazine, as well as this excerpt from Father Henry Graham’s book Where We Got The Bible.
In addition, explain to your atheist friend that the Catholic Church does not rely on the Bible alone, given that the Church existed for decades before all of the New Testament books were written and centuries before they were officially compiled into the New Testament canon, not to mention that members of the Church wrote the New Testament books and Church authorities determined that they were indeed inspired by the Holy Spirit and thus worthy of inclusion in the biblical canon.
There’s no doubt that the Catholic Church existed from the time of Jesus, as various historical sources, Christian and non-Christian attest. For more on the bona fides of the Catholic Church, please see our tract Pillar of Fire, Pillar of Truth and also my book What Did Jesus Do?: The Biblical Roots of the Catholic Church.