I do spend time on apologetics websites, and I regarding the Scriptures I hear two major errors floating around, one form the Catholic side and one from the Protestant side. I will address the Catholic one first, simply because it is easier to deal with. The claim (usually a well-intentioned, but ultimately erroneous attempt to defend Sacred Tradition) is that for the first 300 (or 400, or 500) years of the Church, there was no Scripture at all, and that the Canon came into existence fully formed (usually the date used is AD 383, at the Council of Hippo). This is simply not the case. Before the council (which was actually a local synod) there were several competing canons. The earliest written record we have of a canonical list issued by orthodox Christianity dates from the late second century. This is not to be an attack against Sacred Tradition, but simply to point out a poor defense of it. The more ludicrous claim comes form the Protestant side, and is even to be found in scholarly literature, though it is patently false. The claim is that the Catholic Church had no Canon until 1546 at the Council of Trent. Allow me to present a brief timeline (which is in no means comprehensive) of the development of the Canon of Scripture:
- AD 140: The Gnostic Marcion issues a canon consisting of Luke and ten of the Epistles of St. Paul, all of which were heavily redacted as to remove any connection with Judaism or the Incarnation.
- AD 180-200: The Muratorian Fragment is circulated, indicating four Gospels, Acts, the Pauline Epistles (with the exception of Hebrews), two epistles of John, Jude, the Apocalypse of John, the Apocalypse of Peter, the Shepherd of Hermas, and the Wisdom of Solomon.
- AD 348-350: St. Cyril of Jerusalem Issues a 22 book Old Testament Canon (these represent 35 books according to modern divisions). His New Testament Canon was identical to the modern Canon, with the exception that Cyril did not include Revelation. He also specifically condemns the Gospel of Thomas.
- AD 360: Council of Laodicea: Canon of Scripture does not include Tobit, Judith, Sirach, Wisdom, 1 & 2 Maccabees, or Revelation.
- AD 367: St. Atahanasius in a letter maintains the Old Testament Canon of St. Cyril, included Revelation in the New Testament, and holds Wisdom, Sirach, Esther, Tobit, the Didache, and the Shepherd of Hermas to have catechetical value.
- AD 383: Council of Hippo names the modern Catholic Canon, contingent on Rome’s approval. This same Canon was reaffirmed at Carthage on two occasions–in AD 397 and AD 419.
- AD 405: Pope St. Innocent I reaffirms Canon issued at Hippo in Apostolic letter Consulenti tibi.
- AD 447: Pope St. Leo I emphasized the necessity of the Canon not to be corrupted with Gnostic texts.
- AD 496: Pope St. Gelasius definitively affirms the Canon form the Council of Hippo.
This timeline actually demonstrates a defense against both erroneous claims. The Canon predated Tent by more than 1000 years, and it did not suddenly appear at the Council of Hippo. I would argue that the long silence between the Decree of Gelasius (496) and the next Church document regarding the Canon (Council of Florence, 1442) shows that the Canon was indeed settled, albeit over a long process of development.
Catholic Ramblings 