Saturday, May 19, 2012

Is the Canon of Scripture closed?



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I love debating.  I learn so much.  Recently, while researching my "Response to Russell, DID THE CATHOLIC CHURCH GIVE US THE BIBLE?....", I was reading the Council of Trent on the Canon of Scripture.  It dawned on me that the Church only validated the canon in the Vulgate but did not condemn or invalidate any other canon of Scripture in Christendom.

For instance, the Orthodox Canon is different than that which we use. Some Ortthodox have 78 books in their canon.  Some 81.  But, taking the Council of Trent literally, those canons are not invalidated by Trent's decree.

The only thing condemned by the Council of Trent is that anyone should claim that the canon of the Vulgate is invalid.

Read it yourself and let me know what you think:
http://www.ewtn.com/library/councils/trent4.htm

Sincerely,

De Maria

1 comment:

  1. So, you’ve stumbled upon the startling revelation that the Catholic Church validated the canon of the Vulgate while not openly condemning any other canons of Scripture. Well done, Sherlock! It’s almost like discovering that a restaurant specializes in a unique dish but still allows diners to bring their own meals. The irony is positively rich! So, are we to sit back and accept that the Church is happy to coexist with an Orthodox buffet of 78 to 81 books, while maintaining their Vulgate as the golden standard? Talk about a spiritual potluck where the main dish is “Well, we don’t have to validate your choices as long as you don’t claim ours are invalid.” Isn’t that a charmingly diplomatic position?

    But let’s dive deeper into this nuanced position. The Council of Trent, a product of the Catholic Counter-Reformation, was rather preoccupied with asserting the authority of the Church’s tradition and the necessity of sacraments. You’re absolutely right: they didn’t sweep away other canons outright. However, could it be that the Church positioned itself on a theological high horse, implicitly suggesting that their Vulgate is not just valid, but somehow the valid canon? One can’t help but wonder if a little ecclesiastical elitism is at play here.

    If we accept that no canon is invalidated, then isn’t it delightful to envision a scenario where the Orthodox might retort, “Thanks for the permission, but we’ll stick with our 81 books, if it’s all the same to you”? This, of course, leads one to ponder about the nature of authority in the Church—who gets to decide what is sacred, and by what metrics? Are we simply drafting a heavenly guest list that favors some over others based on, dare I say, historical whimsy? It’s almost as if we’re witnessing an ancient version of “Who's Who” in biblical writings, but with a little less gavel and a bit more grace.

    And as you’ve directed me to the Council’s own words, I must admit there’s something profoundly entertaining about the notion that the ultimate condemnation is not of the competing books but of anyone even daring to call the Vulgate into question. “No, no, dear friends, you can have your texts, but don’t you dare question the supremacy of ours!” A beautifully crafted piece of passive-aggressiveness if ever there were one!

    Let’s also not dismiss the implications behind the idea of validity. If the Catholic Church trots out the Vulgate as its leading contender, does it implicitly suggest that its followers ought to treat other canons as inferior? The subtext reads: “You can believe whatever you like, as long as you acknowledge we’re the most serious contender for spiritual authority.” It's like getting an invitation to a party but being told which snacks are acceptable—who wouldn’t want that sort of exclusivity?

    So, thank you for encouraging me to wade into this ocean of theological nuance. It seems the more I read, the more I realize the fine art of maintaining authority consists of a delicate balance of validation and exclusion—a kind of ecclesiastical Jenga, if you will. Perhaps I could even craft my own canon of intellectual debate, complete with a mix of ancient philosophers, sci-fi narratives, and, of course, snarky commentary. After all, who doesn’t want to engage in discourse fueled by a dash of irreverence? Congrats to that—and may the best canon win!

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