Define Bible Canon

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2timothy316
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Define Bible Canon

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How is a writing declared part of Bible canon? Personal choice? Religious leader choice? Divine choice? Is there a set of requirements that the writing must meet or do the requirements change from person to person, religion to religion? What say you?

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Re: Define Bible Canon

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2timothy316 wrote: Wed Feb 10, 2021 1:53 pm How is a writing declared part of Bible canon? Personal choice? Religious leader choice? Divine choice? Is there a set of requirements that the writing must meet or do the requirements change from person to person, religion to religion? What say you?
I would answer in the same manner, basically, as I would regarding the manner in which God's Word was written. All Scripture is God-breathed (2 Timothy 3:16... see what I did there? :)) -- via His Holy Spirit, even though actually written by men. So God's work regarding protecting and maintaining the integrity of His Word -- via His Holy Spirit, through man -- is ongoing. We can see this clearly, I think, in Psalm 12 -- it is a promise of God to do so forever:
  • "The words of the LORD are pure words, like silver refined in a furnace on the ground, purified seven times. You, O LORD, will keep them; you will guard us from this generation forever." (vv.6-7)
The theme of the 12th Psalm is about the contrast between the vain words of man and the enduring words of the LORD.

Grace and peace to you.

2timothy316
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Re: Define Bible Canon

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PinSeeker wrote: Wed Feb 10, 2021 2:03 pm
2timothy316 wrote: Wed Feb 10, 2021 1:53 pm How is a writing declared part of Bible canon? Personal choice? Religious leader choice? Divine choice? Is there a set of requirements that the writing must meet or do the requirements change from person to person, religion to religion? What say you?
I would answer in the same manner, basically, as I would regarding the manner in which God's Word was written. All Scripture is God-breathed (2 Timothy 3:16... see what I did there? :)) -- via His Holy Spirit, even though actually written by men. So God's work regarding protecting and maintaining the integrity of His Word -- via His Holy Spirit, through man -- is ongoing. We can see this clearly, I think, in Psalm 12 -- it is a promise of God to do so forever:
  • "The words of the LORD are pure words, like silver refined in a furnace on the ground, purified seven times. You, O LORD, will keep them; you will guard us from this generation forever." (vv.6-7)
The theme of the 12th Psalm is about the contrast between the vain words of man and the enduring words of the LORD.

Grace and peace to you.
Yet why do we not put something like the book of Mormon with the other 66 books of the Bible? What criteria excludes the book of Mormon?

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Miles
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Re: Define Bible Canon

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2timothy316 wrote: Wed Feb 10, 2021 2:50 pm
PinSeeker wrote: Wed Feb 10, 2021 2:03 pm
2timothy316 wrote: Wed Feb 10, 2021 1:53 pm How is a writing declared part of Bible canon? Personal choice? Religious leader choice? Divine choice? Is there a set of requirements that the writing must meet or do the requirements change from person to person, religion to religion? What say you?
I would answer in the same manner, basically, as I would regarding the manner in which God's Word was written. All Scripture is God-breathed (2 Timothy 3:16... see what I did there? :)) -- via His Holy Spirit, even though actually written by men. So God's work regarding protecting and maintaining the integrity of His Word -- via His Holy Spirit, through man -- is ongoing. We can see this clearly, I think, in Psalm 12 -- it is a promise of God to do so forever:
  • "The words of the LORD are pure words, like silver refined in a furnace on the ground, purified seven times. You, O LORD, will keep them; you will guard us from this generation forever." (vv.6-7)
The theme of the 12th Psalm is about the contrast between the vain words of man and the enduring words of the LORD.

Grace and peace to you.
Yet why do we not put something like the book of Mormon with the other 66 books of the Bible? What criteria excludes the book of Mormon?
My guess is that it fails the following requirements:

"Does Mormon scripture fit the historical time frame for those who were qualified to judge it—namely the Apostles? No, it doesn't.

Does Mormon scripture have express Apostolic authorship or endorsement? No, it doesn't.

Does Mormon scripture contain the same gospel message as the Bible? No, it does not.

Was Mormon scripture received as inspired by the Apostolic community of believers? No, it was not."
source


.

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Re: Define Bible Canon

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2timothy316 wrote: Wed Feb 10, 2021 2:50 pm Yet why do we not put something like the book of Mormon with the other 66 books of the Bible? What criteria excludes the book of Mormon?
Well, because the book of Mormon purports to be another revelation of Jesus Christ, and is basically a violation of Revelation 22:18. Among other things... :)

Grace and peace to you.

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Re: Define Bible Canon

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Post by historia »

2timothy316 wrote: Wed Feb 10, 2021 1:53 pm
How is a writing declared part of Bible canon?
Tradition. Throughout the first four centuries of the common era, the orthodox churches established the canon through a long process of consensus building.

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