Book of Enoch

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Vincent_L

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I would like to be sure I understand the status of this work. In various googling I keep finding comments to the effect it was banned after the council of laodecia. However when I read that I do not find the book being anathematized, I just see it not being declared canonical, and therefore not able to be publically read in churches.
  1. Has the book ever been formally condemend by council or decree ?
  2. It is my understanding some Fathers referenced the book in their writings. Is there a collection of these usages ?
  3. It remains permissable to read for Catholics but is like any record of any other private revelation, we may accept or reject it, and may not let it alter the faith. Correct ?
I don’t really care to hear all the theories regarding its origins I just want to confirm my understanding of its status in the Church.

Thanks!
 
Vincent_L said:
I would like to be sure I understand the status of this work. In various googling I keep finding comments to the effect it was banned after the council of laodecia. However when I read that I do not find the book being anathematized, I just see it not being declared canonical, and therefore not able to be publically read in churches.
  1. Has the book ever been formally condemend by council or decree ?
Click to expand...
I don’t believe so. No condemnation mentioned in the Catholic Encyclopedia article.
  1. It is my understanding some Fathers referenced the book in their writings. Is there a collection of these usages ?
Click to expand...
A number of the ECF did reference it. I don’t know whether R.H. Charles’ work on the text includes a list of later references, but I’d start there to look for one.
  1. It remains permissable to read for Catholics but is like any record of any other private revelation, we may accept or reject it, and may not let it alter the faith. Correct ?
Click to expand...
Yes, although I’m not sure it’s in the same class as a private revelation. It’s part of a large collection refered to as Old Testament Pseudoepigrapha.- pre-Christian Jewish writings attributed to Patriarchs and other figures of the Old Covenant.
 
No one does know if it was written by Enoch or not. There are some items in it that do suggest it was written by him. For one, it contains a fragment of the Book of Noah. The last I heard, this book was lost before the time of Christ, so it’s that does suggest that whoever wrote it had access to the full version.

It can also be judged according to the teachings it give. The Catholic Church judges private visions and revelations based off of what Jesus taught in the Gospels.
*“for by the fruit the tree is known.” * Matt 12:33

So while it may not be historically true, it does teach truths that are in line with the teachings of the Catholic Church. It condemns abortion for goodness sake, amongst many other mortal sins the Church rejects. It also contains prophecies about the coming of Christ.

My favorite part is that it mentions the Trinity, with possibly the coolest names I’ve ever heard given to them

God the Father - Ancient of Days
God the Son - The Elect One
God the Holy Spirit - The Lord of Spirits

I know that the first two are also mentioned in the Bible, but the “Lord of Spirits” is just awesome 🙂

Archistrage
 
The Book of Jude makes reference to a non-canonical work that speaks of Satan and Saint Michael arguing over the body of Moses. This is wear Michael says to Satan, “The Lord rebuke you!” Which we have incorporated into our prayer to this Archangel. Whether it makes reference to Enoch also, I don’t know.
 
Yes, he does reference.the Book of Enoch.

“Enoch, of the seventh generation from Adam, prophesied also about them when he said, ‘Behold, the Lord has come with his countless holy ones to execute judgment on all and to convict everyone for all the godless deeds that they committed and for all the harsh words godless sinners have uttered against him.’” Jude 1:14-15

This is quoted from Enoch 1:9

The part where Michael argues with Satan over the body of Moses, is I believe from the Book of Jubilees, or it might be another one.

Archistrage
 
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