Canon of Scripture: What criteria did the early Christians use to determine it?

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Catholic Answers Senior Apologist Jimmy Akin explains the criteria the early Christians used to determine what books belong in the Bible.

What Did Early Christians Really Believe?

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[peipappy1]

@kiwichristian2009 Sorry, but you are mistaken. There were "real issues" about the authenticity of some of the NT documents within the church at the time. All you have to do is read some of the early church fathers discussions on this subject. Even some of the books that were eventually accepted into the cannon of the NT scriptures by the Church, were disputed. But once the cannon was set, all Christians at the time accepted the authority of the Catholic Church on the subject.

[brucefetter]

If you are a Protestant and would like to learn about this in a way that is very sensitive to your point of view, the Protestant-authored book "A High View of Scripture?" is THE place to start. You will learn that tradition is not a four letter word and that Scripture, while normative, is a function of the Rule of Faith and Tradition. It won't try to convert you, but it will get you thinking historically.

[gtepp031387]

@kiwichristian2009 Sry there was great dispute about the books, espeacially Rev, 2 Peter, and 2 and 3 John. There are also many writtings from the apostles and diciples like the pro of James and several letters from Paul, and hermas and Clement, that are not in your scripture. Therer are also 1,000 different versions of scripture ranging from having the book of Enock, to having the gosple of Thomas, so which one is correct and why?

[kiwichristian2009]

@100PercentCatholic See my post above.

[100PercentCatholic]

@kiwichristian2009 How did the early church know which books were inspired by the Holy Spirit? Is there a Holy Spirit inspired table of contents? Did Jesus say which books would be inspired before he left?

[Disciple328]

@kiwichristian2009 do you have verifiable proof that the Christian Church that existed during First centuries after Christ's Life is any other then the Catholic Church?

[kiwichristian2009]

When the apostles wrote the New Testament documents they were inspired by the power of the Holy Spirit. There wasn't any real issue of whether or not they were authentic. Their writings did not need to be deemed worthy of inclusion in the Canon of Scripture by a later group of men in the so-called Roman Catholic Church. To make such a claim is, in effect, to usurp the natural power and authority of God himself.



[cris750]

The Didache is possibly authentic because it delves into the issue concerning consuming foods sacrificed to idols. The Didache position on this issue is neutral or takes both sides of the argument and tries to find a middle ground between Paul's position ( Gentile Christians ) in 1st Corinthians ch.8 ... VERSUS... Acts 15:20,Acts 21:24-25,Revelation 2:14 and Revelation 2:20 ( Jewish Christians ).