Should the RCC consider adding books to the Bible?

[zach_dunn]

I’d like to see a convention, perhaps Vatican III, reconsider adding some of the apochryphyl books to the Bible, especially those discovered in the past 70 years, of course under the inspiration of the Holy Ghost. The Protoevangelium of James seems a good candidate for inclusion. Non-RCC religions would squeal, but who cares so long as the Holy Ghost wills the addition.

The canon was ‘officially’ (and by that I mean infallibly) closed by the Council of Trent, no ifs, ands, or buts about it. If the Church were to add to the canon, it would disqualify the Church as the one true Church that Christ founded. Since Christ told us that the gates of hell would not overpower the Church, it is impossible for the Church to change the canon.

Besides, none of those books are inspired by the Holy Spirit. Not a one. None. Only the 73 books in the Catholic canon of Scripture are inspired: nothing more, nothing less.

 

[Sailor_Kenshin]

With that kind of thinking, you probably opposed deviating from the Tridentine mass and saying the mass in native languages. Vatican II, of course, felt inspired to do both. God will reveal what He wants, when He wants, to his true church: the RCC. I trust the church to make the correct decision. It’s never been agreed upon whether Matthew, Mark, Luke or John actually wrote those books either, whether their students actually wrote them. It’s never been agreed upon that John actually wrote the Apocalypse.

You seem to be presenting a certain agenda.

The Church does not need your (name removed by moderator)ut. It does not need MY (name removed by moderator)ut. It will do what it will do regardless of people’s whims and agendas.

 

[Newbie2]

The Fourth Session of the Council of Trent specifically listed “all the books both of the Old and of the New Testament.” That’s all, folks.

B-dee B-dee B-dee B-dee, that’s all folks.

Really, not much else needs to be said about this. It’s a closed canon.

End of line.

(Tron)

 

[jrgiancola]

We will see whether the canon is closed or not. I fully expect to see a Vatican III in my lifetime and I believe it will reconsider some of the apocryphal books, among other things. You believe as you wish; I will believe as I wish. Our church is not some ancient relic; it is a living entity, and I can’t wait to see where the Holy Spirit takes us in the next 50 years.

 

[Newbie2]

We will see whether the canon is closed or not. I fully expect to see a Vatican III in my lifetime and I believe it will reconsider some of the apocryphal books, among other things. You believe as you wish; I will believe as I wish. Our church is not some ancient relic; it is a living entity, and I can’t wait to see where the Holy Spirit takes us in the next 50 years.

I fail to see why you don’t accept the fact that a closed canon is a closed canon and virtually all of Christianity outside of the fringe groups accepts and holds such as fact.

 

[thistle]

We will see whether the canon is closed or not. I fully expect to see a Vatican III in my lifetime and I believe it will reconsider some of the apocryphal books, among other things. You believe as you wish; I will believe as I wish. Our church is not some ancient relic; it is a living entity, and I can’t wait to see where the Holy Spirit takes us in the next 50 years.

Its not a case of believing what we wish. The Canon is closed. End of story. There will not be additions to the Bible.

 

[Prophesy]

Its not a case of believing what we wish. The Canon is closed. End of story. There will not be additions to the Bible.

Thank God for that. Imagine the pot of “The Church tampers with Scripture” that would stir up.

-Prophesy

 

[Rolltide]

We will see whether the canon is closed or not. I fully expect to see a Vatican III in my lifetime and I believe it will reconsider some of the apocryphal books, among other things. You believe as you wish; I will believe as I wish. Our church is not some ancient relic; it is a living entity, and I can’t wait to see where the Holy Spirit takes us in the next 50 years.

What would be the impetus for re-examining the canon now, as opposed to the last 1600 years? There would have to be a compelling reason to do so. The only reason I could even fathom this being done would be as part of negotiations with the Orthodox, except that they actually don’t consider it much of an issue, to be honest.

 

[jbarbaretta]

God will reveal what He wants, when He wants, to his true church: the RCC.

All public revelation is done. complete and total. The only thing left is for the Church to gradually, over time, interpret and explain that revelation. Nothing new is coming. Sorry.

See John 14 24-25 (Jesus said to the Apostles) “These things I have spoken to you, while I am still with you. But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.”

Te emphasize that it was delivered to the Apostles and is not on-going, read Jude1: " I found it necessary to write appealing to you to contend for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints."

Also, it really doesn’t matter what is in James, the Church had already considered the book back in the 380s and determined it is not inspired. Unless you don’t believe in the infallibility or authority of the Church, there is 0% chance of that book suddenly being reconsidered.

 

[Aelred_Minor]

I’m not at all defending the idea that there is any likelihood of books being added to the canon, but where are all these variations on “the canon is closed and that’s all there is to it” coming from? Where is the Church document that definitively closes the canon? For me this isn’t any agenda but simply a matter of factual accuracy.

 

[Cristiano]

We will see whether the canon is closed or not. I fully expect to see a Vatican III in my lifetime and I believe it will reconsider some of the apocryphal books, among other things. You believe as you wish; I will believe as I wish. Our church is not some ancient relic; it is a living entity, and I can’t wait to see where the Holy Spirit takes us in the next 50 years.

So you are saying that the Holy Spirit inspired the Church to share with us the fact that the Canon will not and cannot be changed. You are saying that the Holy Spirit allowed the Church to share God’s revelation where He says that non new public revelation will exist until the second coming.

Now if I analyze you other statements I must infer that the Holy Spirit always planned to bring the Church into contradiction and so we have no reason to believe the Church at all because we do not know what is true or not. Thus I should not accept any new revelation that She will present.

Or if what that is not true then I have to infer that the Holy Spirit changed His mind and considering that only created things can change I have to infer that the Holy Spirit is created and so it is not God and if the Church is not inspired by God and so I have no reason to believe in the Church and in any new revelation that She will present.

BTW just because a book says something that is true that does not mean that it is divinely inspired. The Canon of the Bible is only formed by divinely inspired writings.

 

[copperblade]

IMO, it’ll never happen. The Church is already striving to repair schisms within Christianity, and schismatic attitudes within formal Catholicism, and adding books to the Bible would just be a disaster.

 

[dsmantz]

I agree that that Canon is closed. However, having said that, it would be nice to see some publishers add some of the Christian extra-canonical writings to their Bibles, much like early Protestant versions contained the Apocrypha in a separate section (some still do). It would certainly make my life easier, so I don’t have to tote around so many books. Then again, maybe I should just go ahead and get a Kindle.