Cyber-Chapel Blog

Tag: Canon

  • How the Bible Grew

    Roman Catholics disagree with NT believers over the composition of the Bible. At least two questions are involved:

    1. Which books belong in the Bible? The RC Bible has the same NT that believers use, but includes seven additional books in the Old Testament (Tobit, Judith, 1 and 2 Maccabees, Wisdom of Solomon, Sirach, and Baruch), as well as some additions to Esther and Daniel.
    2. What authority defines the correct set of books? Rome claims that it established the set of inspired books, originally at the Council of Rome in AD 382, and confirmed at subsequent councils (Hippo in 393, Carthage in 397 and 419, Florence in 1442), culminating in the Council of Trent in 1546.

    I wrote this paper in 1974 on the first question, which contains many helpful details. This post adds a few observatons on the second question.

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  • What Books Belong in the Bible?

    Christians sometimes ask why our Bible contains the books that it does. Why do we recognize some books as the Word of God, and not others? Why do the Bibles published by some denominations include books that others leave out? What about the claims of some groups to have new revelation that appeared after New Testament times (such as the Qur’an or the Book of Mormon?

    Some years ago, I wrote two papers addressing these themes. Perhaps someday I’ll have time to redo them, but for now this post will provide some context so that you can read them for insight into these important questions.
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