Knowing the landscape, helps to better understand the evolution......
Knowing the landscape, helps to better understand the evolution......
According to the establishment of Church canon!
Still a human institution or organization subject to human imperfection, sin, corruption, subterfuge and other agendas (often influenced by socio-politics of the day, especially in the 4th century during the Arian Controversy onwards), no matter how pious their inventions and canons 'appear' to be. And so interesting that protestants uphold their mother-church for her canons, creeds and dogma, but then selectively choose their own doctrines and pet dogmas to suit themselves, as any other religionist of any other tradition is free to do. It would be just as well in the vein of 'progression revelation' to also reject some pet-dogmas within protestantism, as we go forward in truth.
That a standardized (perhaps 'sanitized' as well) canon was fairly established by the 4th-5th century doesn't necessarily prove or establish its 'inspiration', but that it was held by a collective consensus as being the books 'acceptable' to be included for religious instruction, or as 'scripture', but the 'canons' probably varied among different groups within the first 3 centuries, as great variety existed within the growing faith-tradition, with many branches in the messianic movement, and the legends, mythos, STORY of Jesus, in its various archetypes and modalities.
And still, you cannot limit the INFINITE to a book, much less any number of books, no matter what human stamp of approval or rejection is granted. "the letter kills, the Spirit gives life".
The Apocrypha, intertestamental literature, non-canonical, gnostic gospels may be just as valuable in their teachings on different levels than the 'canonized' writing, and add more dimensions and colours to the actual demograph and cosmology of the culture during those times, let alone being a 'bridge' from the OT to the NT dispensations, providing glimpses into the flora and fauna of the land. I recommend a greater liberty of knowledge here, and then a greater admittance of ignorance, if you would be so courageous to be a student of truth, or a disciple of
the 'Christ' who is a universal power and presence, and not just limited to one body or tradition. The 'Christ' is that light in every soul, and its essence is love, wherein the seed of immortality, perfection and eternal progress lies. Christ sets free in his divine nature, he never puts one in dogmatic or ritual bondage, neither does he capitivate or keep his beloved by fear, manipulation, force or condemnation. Whenever a religion goes about that way, it begins its own degeneration and spiral downward, and actually becomes 'anti-christ' in its ethos.