Archive
Week of 06/15/08
Week of 06/15/08
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Why do Catholics have more books in our Bible than
Protestants?
A Catholic Bible has 46 books in the Old Testament and 27 books in the New
Testament. But a Protestant Bible has only 39 books in the Old Testament. The
Protestant Bible does not contain Sirach (Ecclesiasticus), Wisdom, Judith, Tobit,
Baruch, 1 Maccabees and 2 Maccabees. These are known to Catholics as the
Deuterocanonical (Second Canon) books while they are known to Protestants as
the Apocrypha (“not authentic”). Why is there a difference?
There was much discussion and debate in the early Church about which books
were inspired by God. It was important to establish a single, authoritative
definition of what was (and what was not) Sacred Scripture. Some in the early
Church argued for the inclusion of the Gospel of Thomas, the Shepherd of Hermas
and other works that the Church ultimately rejected. As well, many insisted that
the Book of Revelation, 2 Peter and 3 John were not inspired, yet they were, in
the end, accepted by the Catholic Church as canonical. The Council of Rome in
382 was the first to produce the list of books used today in the Catholic Bible.
This list did not end the discussion and debate, but the list was confirmed by at
least 4 other major Church councils between 393 and 1441. (You can read more
details here.) Thus, the definition of Sacred Scripture – also known as the canon
– was widely accepted by the Church for centuries before the Protestant
Reformation. Indeed, when Johannes Gutenberg printed his Bibles they include
the full canon of 73 books.
Protestants?
A Catholic Bible has 46 books in the Old Testament and 27 books in the New
Testament. But a Protestant Bible has only 39 books in the Old Testament. The
Protestant Bible does not contain Sirach (Ecclesiasticus), Wisdom, Judith, Tobit,
Baruch, 1 Maccabees and 2 Maccabees. These are known to Catholics as the
Deuterocanonical (Second Canon) books while they are known to Protestants as
the Apocrypha (“not authentic”). Why is there a difference?
There was much discussion and debate in the early Church about which books
were inspired by God. It was important to establish a single, authoritative
definition of what was (and what was not) Sacred Scripture. Some in the early
Church argued for the inclusion of the Gospel of Thomas, the Shepherd of Hermas
and other works that the Church ultimately rejected. As well, many insisted that
the Book of Revelation, 2 Peter and 3 John were not inspired, yet they were, in
the end, accepted by the Catholic Church as canonical. The Council of Rome in
382 was the first to produce the list of books used today in the Catholic Bible.
This list did not end the discussion and debate, but the list was confirmed by at
least 4 other major Church councils between 393 and 1441. (You can read more
details here.) Thus, the definition of Sacred Scripture – also known as the canon
– was widely accepted by the Church for centuries before the Protestant
Reformation. Indeed, when Johannes Gutenberg printed his Bibles they include
the full canon of 73 books.
| Copyright 2008 |
During the Reformation, Martin Luther and
other Protestant leaders questioned whether
some of the Old Testament books were truly
divinely inspired. They disagreed on the exact
list of books they questioned, but eventually 7
books were excluded from the Protestant
Bible. Martin Luther used the argument that
these 7 books taught doctrine that was
unscriptural. The Catholic Church has always
conformed her doctrine to the Word of God;
Luther tried to conform the Word of God to
his own doctrine. He also tried to remove
James and Revelation from the New
Testament but was dissuaded by his fellow
reformers. He called the Letter of James an
“epistle of straw” because it plainly refuted
his claim that man is justified by faith alone.
(See James 2:24)
Luther denied the
existence of Purgatory.
The Book of 2
Maccabees 12:43-46
promotes the practice
of praying for the
dead. Because those
in heaven have no
need our prayers and
those in hell are
beyond the help of
prayer, the Church
reasoned that there
must be a third state in
which the dead may
benefit from the
prayers of the faithful
and that was Purgatory.
existence of Purgatory.
The Book of 2
Maccabees 12:43-46
promotes the practice
of praying for the
dead. Because those
in heaven have no
need our prayers and
those in hell are
beyond the help of
prayer, the Church
reasoned that there
must be a third state in
which the dead may
benefit from the
prayers of the faithful
and that was Purgatory.
To respond to the confusion of the Protestant revolt, the Catholic Church covened
the Council of Trent in 1556. One of the questions the Council dealt with was the
contents of the Bible. As with many other issues, the Church leaders prayed and
looked to Church Tradition and the practice of the Church Fathers in order to
find the answer. The Council infallibly declared the canon to be the same list that
was originally produced by the Council of Rome. (See the Canon of Scripture in
paragraph 120 of the Catechism of the Catholic Church.)
You may hear claims that the Catholics “added” seven books to the Bible after the
Reformation. However, since the Catholic Church can trace its canon back to the
fourth century, it is clear this claim is untrue. The Council of Trent did not add
anything to Scripture – rather it reaffirmed the canon already long in use by the
Church. (A more extensive response to this claim is available here.)
For answers to common objections to the inclusion of the deuterocanonical books,
click here.
the Council of Trent in 1556. One of the questions the Council dealt with was the
contents of the Bible. As with many other issues, the Church leaders prayed and
looked to Church Tradition and the practice of the Church Fathers in order to
find the answer. The Council infallibly declared the canon to be the same list that
was originally produced by the Council of Rome. (See the Canon of Scripture in
paragraph 120 of the Catechism of the Catholic Church.)
You may hear claims that the Catholics “added” seven books to the Bible after the
Reformation. However, since the Catholic Church can trace its canon back to the
fourth century, it is clear this claim is untrue. The Council of Trent did not add
anything to Scripture – rather it reaffirmed the canon already long in use by the
Church. (A more extensive response to this claim is available here.)
For answers to common objections to the inclusion of the deuterocanonical books,
click here.