Can you dirrect us to any of these non-Catholic sources for the canonization of the books of the Bible? I would be interested to see what other church put it together.
- it is off topic but you asked*
Note ALL the dates that are prior to 540 AD
all quotes below from
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Testament
**
“Contrary to popular misconception, the New Testament canon was not summarily decided in large, bureaucratic church council meetings, but rather developed over many centuries.”**
One of the earliest attempts at solidifying a canon was made by Marcion, c. 140 AD, who accepted only a modified version of Luke (Gospel of Marcion) and ten of Paul’s letters
The oldest clear endorsement of Mark, Matthew, Luke, and John being the only legitimate gospels was written c. 180 AD. It was a claim made by Bishop Irenaeus in his polemic Against the Heresies, for example III.XI.8:
“It appears that the books that finally were canonized are those that enjoyed a **special status and were utilized both frequently and universally **by the church.”
Development of the New Testament canon
Main article: Development of the New Testament canon
The writings attributed to the apostles circulated amongst the earliest Christian communities. **The Pauline epistles were circulating in collected form by the end of the first century AD. **Justin Martyr, in the early second century, mentions the “memoirs of the apostles,” which Christians called “gospels” and which were regarded as on par with the Old Testament.[2]
A four gospel canon (the Tetramorph) was in place by the time of Irenaeus, c. 160, who refers to it directly.[3] He also quotes and cites 21 books that would end up as part of the New Testament, the excluded ones being Philemon, Hebrews, James, 2 Peter, 3 John and Jude.[4] By the early 200’s, Origen of Alexandria may have been using the same 27 books as in the modern New Testament, though there were still disputes over the canonicity of Hebrews, James, II Peter, II and III John, and Revelation[5], see also Antilegomena. Likewise by 200 the Muratorian fragment shows that there existed a set of Christian writings somewhat similar to what is now the New Testament, which included four gospels and argued against objections to them.[6] Thus, while there was a good measure of debate in the Early Church over the New Testament canon, the major writings were accepted by almost all Christian authorities by the middle of the second century.[7]
In his Easter letter of 367, Athanasius, Bishop of Alexandria, gave a list of exactly the same books as what would become the New Testament canon,[8] and he used the word “canonized” (kanonizomena) in regards to them.[9] The African Synod of Hippo, in 393, approved the New Testament, as it stands today, together with the Septuagint books, a decision that was confirmed by Councils of Carthage in 397 and 419. These councils were under the authority of St. Augustine, who regarded the canon as already closed.[10] Pope Damasus I’s Council of Rome in 382, if the Decretum Gelasianum is correctly associated with it, issued a biblical canon identical to that mentioned above,[11] or if not the list is at least a sixth century compilation.[12] Likewise, Damasus’s commissioning of the Latin Vulgate edition of the Bible, circa 383, was instrumental in the fixation of the canon in the West.[13] In 405, Pope Innocent I sent a list of the sacred books to a Gallic bishop, Exsuperius of Toulouse. When these bishops and councils spoke on the matter, however, they were not defining something new, but instead "were ratifying what had already become the mind of the Church."14]
*The Jews knew what was inspired of God and they recognized what God had inspired. That is what those who are of God do.
In the same way:
The Early Christins recognized what was Scripture. It did not establish it.
This is a very important point.
The Christians recognize what God has inspired and pronounces that recognition.
In other words, it discovers what is already authentic. Jesus said “my sheep hear my voice and they follow me…” (John 10:27). The church hears the voice of Christ; that is, it recognizes what is inspired and it follows the word.
That is what those who are of God do.*
So I will repeat:
The Church gave the stamp of approval on what was already generally accepted.
