How does an ecumenical council settle disputes on dogma?

[icamhif]

I know of zero heretical sects which have been founded on the 73 book bible. All have sprung from the 66 book bible, which relies on the Pharisee’s 39 book OT. A quick read of Matthew 23 seems to indicate that the Pharisees are not a group to be emulated. There is a spirit associated with the 66 book bible that seems to lead the faithful into error and division. I see it as the spirit of disobedience.

I’ll give you the benefit of the doubt and say that you were just kidding with that polemic.

 

[po18guy]

I’ll give you the benefit of the doubt and say that you were just kidding with that polemic.

I may tend toward the provocative and the occasional hyperbolic, but one man’s polemic is another’s food for thought. I’ll calm down now.

 

[TRH1292]

I know of zero heretical sects which have been founded on the 73 book bible. All have sprung from the 66 book bible, which relies on the Pharisee’s 39 book OT. A quick read of Matthew 23 seems to indicate that the Pharisees are not a group to be emulated. There is a spirit associated with the 66 book bible that seems to lead the faithful into error and division. I see it as the spirit of disobedience.

Plenty of heretical sects have had a 73 book cannon. Christianity relies on the Pharisee’s belief in the resurrection of the dead, but what does that prove? Pretty much nothing.

I don’t see how there can be a “spirit” associated with all but 7 books of the Old Testament and the New Testament. I hope you don’t mean in the books themselves .

 

[po18guy]

Plenty of heretical sects have had a 73 book cannon. Christianity relies on the Pharisee’s belief in the resurrection of the dead, but what does that prove? Pretty much nothing. Point made, although I think that the early (post Nicene) heretics also denied the Apostolic Tradition. As to Arius, he was incited to deny the divinity of Christ when that subject had not yet been settled. This causes me to reflect on just who it was that said “If you are son of God, command these stones to become bread.” I believe that the spirit which drove Arius also incited (JW founder) Russell and his followers long after Christ’s divinity had been settled.
TRH1292;11542805:

I don’t see how there can be a “spirit” associated with all but 7 books of the Old Testament and the New Testament. I hope you don’t mean in the books themselves .

No. Rather, in and among those who doubted those books. Some spirit incited that doubt and the subsequent “demotion” of those books to the realm of apocrypha - all of this occurring precisely at a time when the reformation was fracturing and no (reformation-based) conciliar decision could ever be made on their canonicity. So, it appears to have progressed from initial doubts to a later position of default against them. And, wasn’t disbelief in the inspiration of the Deuterocanon consistent throughout the reformation?

Yet, no matter how powerful or influential the spirit, they still rely upon human cooperation.