No matter how “logical” you think it is, it is still a speculation, and trusting that the record of Pope Gelasius was not tampered with (and even an honest mistake). It’s actually a reasonable concern, to question it’s accuracy.
I have heard the argument put forth to question the accuracy of every council that we do not have the original records of. I know of historians who do not believe that the councils of Hippo and Carthage took place. How do we know the records of those councils have not been tampered with?
But once again, I’m not saying that it’s wrong to believe it’s a reasonable possibility that Pope St Damasus wrote a correct Canon. We just don’t
know through an accurate and sound document. It requires
- Trusting a document from centuries later
The earliest document we have is from 419, for the councils of Hippo and Carthage. We know that wording in that document was written back into the original Synod of 393 at Hippo. Does this invalidate whether Hippo and Carthage took place? Of course not!!! But that seems to be the course that you would take.
Believing there was a normal reason for Hippo and Carthage not to mention it
Why would they? Very few local councils mention the local councils of other regions. As an example, canon 3 of the council of Carthage had already been addressed by at least two other local councils, and by Nicaea, yet Carthage does not mention those other councils at all. So obviously, not mentioning other councils was
the norm.
Believing St Jerome questioned Pope St Damasus’ decree
Without a doubt. If you know anything about Jerome, you know that he questioned much of the New Testament also,
while he was writing the Vulgate.
That even though you think Damasus submitted the list first - that Carthage then asked for Rome’s ratification.
Yes, because Damasus listing was binding on the Roman Church,
not the African Church.
And yes it was normal for local councils to submit their canons for ratification/confirmation to Rome, even though those canons
would only be binding on that local region, unless Rome decided to elevate and make those canons binding on the Roman church, or the Universal Church.
Case in point: The second ecumenical council, at the time it was held was a local council. The pope ratified some of the canons, but not all of them, nor did he make the canons that he ratified binding on the West. It did not become ecumenical until Gregory the Great elevated and made it binding on the West some 200 years later.
Papal confirmation/ratification of canons of a local council are not binding on other regions unless a pope chooses to also make them binding on other regions.
To me, it just seems less than a solid, reliable certainty.
Which brings us back to the letter of Innocent. We know he lists the canon as received, and again we must ask received from whom? That is the $64 question. You say the Damascene document is questionable, and not reliable evidence. Okay. **But there is absolutely zero evidence that Innocent made the canons of Hippo and Carthage binding on the Roman Church. **
So what council is he quoting that would make his list binding on the Western Church?
