How many St. John's?

[ZacharyM]

Hello,

I know there has been significant debate over the relationship between John the Apostle, John the Evangelist, the Beloved Disciple, John the Presbyter and John of Patmos – are these all the same person, or two or more separate persons? Is there one such St. John or several?

From my reading it is clear that scholars are divided on this issue. But what I really wanted to know is whether the Church has made any official ruling on the matter? Or, is there a particular viewpoint most common with faithful Catholics? Or are Catholics free to believe whatever scholarship they prefer? I understand the majority position in the tradition of the Church (putting aside modern scholarship) is that they are the same person – does the Church require or recommend us to accept its tradition in this matter over the competing claims of some modern scholarship? (Is this matter part of “tradition” or part of “Tradition”? Is there a difference?)

Scholarship always seems so uncertain, with so many opinions and I don’t feel qualified to judge who is right. But I don’t feel comfortable with just leaving this question as “I don’t know” either. It seems too important to me.

Thanks
Zack

 

[Zenkai]

Hello,

I know there has been significant debate over the relationship between John the Apostle, John the Evangelist, the Beloved Disciple, John the Presbyter and John of Patmos – are these all the same person, or two or more separate persons? Is there one such St. John or several?

From my reading it is clear that scholars are divided on this issue. But what I really wanted to know is whether the Church has made any official ruling on the matter? Or, is there a particular viewpoint most common with faithful Catholics? Or are Catholics free to believe whatever scholarship they prefer? I understand the majority position in the tradition of the Church (putting aside modern scholarship) is that they are the same person – does the Church require or recommend us to accept its tradition in this matter over the competing claims of some modern scholarship? (Is this matter part of “tradition” or part of “Tradition”? Is there a difference?)

Scholarship always seems so uncertain, with so many opinions and I don’t feel qualified to judge who is right. But I don’t feel comfortable with just leaving this question as “I don’t know” either. It seems too important to me.

Thanks
Zack

I believe they are all the same person. There’s no reason to think otherwise.

 

[thistle]

Hello,

I know there has been significant debate over the relationship between John the Apostle, John the Evangelist, the Beloved Disciple, John the Presbyter and John of Patmos – are these all the same person, or two or more separate persons? Is there one such St. John or several?

From my reading it is clear that scholars are divided on this issue. But what I really wanted to know is whether the Church has made any official ruling on the matter? Or, is there a particular viewpoint most common with faithful Catholics? Or are Catholics free to believe whatever scholarship they prefer? I understand the majority position in the tradition of the Church (putting aside modern scholarship) is that they are the same person – does the Church require or recommend us to accept its tradition in this matter over the competing claims of some modern scholarship? (Is this matter part of “tradition” or part of “Tradition”? Is there a difference?)

Scholarship always seems so uncertain, with so many opinions and I don’t feel qualified to judge who is right. But I don’t feel comfortable with just leaving this question as “I don’t know” either. It seems too important to me.

Thanks
Zack

oce.catholic.com/index.php?title=John_the_Evangelist%2C_Saint

 

[Big_Ro]

I would also be interested to see what others have to say on this issue. I have done some limited research and there seems to be some evidence on both sides of the argument. Actually, there may be three or four sides. The evidence doesn’t seem to be very definitive on any one side.

 

[puzzleannie]

I never thought they were not all the same person until the “community of the Beloved Disciple” folks started messing with John’s gospel and essentially denying its literal truth.