Biblical canon

Scroll

Samaritan Pentateuch (detail)

P46

[[File:KJV_1769_Oxford_Edition,_vol._1.djvu|KJV 1769 Oxford Edition, vol. 1.djvu Biblical canon refers to the set of books that are considered authoritative as Scripture by a particular religious community. The concept of a "canon" implies that there is a closed list of texts that are regarded as divinely inspired and thus form the Holy Scriptures of a faith. The development of the biblical canon was a complex process that varied significantly between different religious traditions, most notably between Judaism and Christianity, and within Christianity, between different denominations such as Roman Catholicism, Eastern Orthodoxy, and Protestantism.

Development of the Jewish Canon

The Jewish canon, also known as the Tanakh, consists of three main sections: the Torah (Law), the Nevi'im (Prophets), and the Ketuvim (Writings). The process of canonization for the Hebrew Bible was gradual, beginning as early as the Babylonian exile (6th century BCE) and concluding by the 2nd century CE. The Torah was likely the first section to be recognized as canonical, followed by the Prophets, and finally the Writings. The exact criteria for inclusion in the Tanakh are not explicitly stated in Jewish sources, but it is generally believed that factors such as divine inspiration, prophetic authorship, and historical significance played a role.

Development of the Christian Canon

The Christian biblical canon includes both the Old Testament, which is largely based on the Jewish Tanakh, and the New Testament, which contains writings specific to Christianity. The formation of the Christian canon was a complex process that unfolded over several centuries, with key developments occurring between the 2nd and 4th centuries CE.

Old Testament

The Christian Old Testament includes the same books as the Jewish Tanakh, though often in a different order and sometimes with slight variations in content. Additionally, many Christian traditions include several Deuterocanonical books or Apocrypha in their Old Testament, which are not part of the Jewish canon. The inclusion of these books varies among different Christian denominations.

New Testament

The New Testament canon began to take shape in the 2nd century CE, with the four Gospels, the Acts of the Apostles, the Pauline epistles, and some other letters being recognized as authoritative by many early Christians. The Book of Revelation and some other writings were subject to more debate before being universally accepted. The criteria for inclusion in the New Testament canon included apostolic authorship (or connection to an apostle), consistency with Christian doctrine, and widespread use in worship and teaching.

Canon Lists and Councils

Various lists of canonical books and decisions by church councils played a significant role in the development of the Christian biblical canon. Notable examples include the Muratorian fragment (late 2nd century), the decisions of the Council of Hippo (393 CE) and the Council of Carthage (397 CE), which affirmed the New Testament canon, and the Council of Trent (1546), which reaffirmed the canon for the Roman Catholic Church in response to the Protestant Reformation. Protestant reformers, such as Martin Luther, proposed different canons, often excluding the Deuterocanonical books from the Old Testament.

Impact and Significance

The biblical canon has had a profound impact on religious and cultural development, influencing theology, liturgy, art, literature, and law. The process of canonization reflects the diverse ways in which religious communities define their identity and authority through sacred texts. The differences in canon among Jewish and Christian traditions, and among Christian denominations, highlight the complex interplay between scripture, tradition, and community in the formation of religious identity.