Scripture · Lesson 2 · 30 min
The Canon and Its Authority
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Who decided which books belong in the Bible, and why does the Church still trust that decision nearly two thousand years later?
Received, not decided
The Church did not invent the canon by committee vote. It recognized, over generations of use in worship, which books carried apostolic authority and bore the marks of the Spirit. The canon was received, the way you recognize your mother's voice in a crowded room.
Read the Scriptures
From the Prayer Book
Collect for the Feast of St. Luke
“Almighty God, who inspired thy servant Luke the physician to set forth in the Gospel the love and healing power of thy Son: graciously continue in thy Church the like love and power to heal, to the praise and glory of thy Name.”
For a Parish Small Group
Discussion Questions
- What surprised you about how the canon came together?
- Why does it matter that the Church received the canon rather than voted on it?