LRC, Houston - the weekends-free church in Houston, Texas

I get this blank stare when I say that the early church fathers agreed upon a New Testament canon of twenty seven books, but they didn’t agree on the translation to be “canonized”.

It’s like, “what did you say”? Or, “what’s that mean”?

Actually I should back up and say that the “church fathers” never did officially agree as a group, an ecumenical council, or a formal meeting of the tops dogs as to what the NT canon would be. There was nothing resembling the Council Of Jamnia that approved the Old Testament canon. There was no press meeting, a Fox News Alert, or a meeting of the G-7.

Athanasius, then the Bishop of Alexandria (367) was doing his annual writing to the other Bishops and informing them of the date for Easter. It was in his Vestal letter # 39 that Athanasius wrote about what the 27 books of the new Testament are, and should be read. In other words, in one of those “Oh, by the way, while I am writing you this letter”….HERE’S CANON!

And there you have it. The first time in recorded history that a church official of any standing officially says these are the 27 books that all Christians should consider valid- 330+ years after Jesus was crucified. And what’s really interesting is what went down during those three centuries. Talk about “cloak and daggers”.

I wonder if Tom Hanks would agree to be the lead actor for this movie?