Sign in Subscribe

Topic

apocrypha

A collection of 16 issues

Gelasian Decree Pope Damasus & the Canon

The Gelasian Decree (Decretum Gelasianum) is a Latin document dating from the 6th century AD, and is believed to be based on the decree of Pope Gelasius I (492-496 AD). The document mentions the canon list ratified by the Council (Synod) of Rome under the authority of Pope Damasus in

Origen, Susanna & OT Canon

I share Origen’s defense of the canonicity of the “History of Susanna,” which all the ancient apostolic communions accept as sacred Scripture. Origen refutes the objections raised against the book’s authenticity, and explains why the Jews rejected it. In his response, Origen shows his great familiarity with the

Hermas’ Trinitarianism

In this post I revisit the theology of the book known as the Shepherd of Hermas in order to show that this is a very early Christian witness to the Church’s belief in the Trinity and the Son’s essential coequality with the Father. Many scholars date the writing

Hermas’ Mediating Angel

The Shepherd of Hermas was a very popular work, which some Christians even wanted to include in the canon. An interesting aspect of this writing is that Hermas has an angel whom he beseeches or begs to assist him in understanding the parable that was being revealed to him. The

The Holy Spirit: Jesus’ Divine Mother?

In his commentary on Isaiah, St. Jerome quotes a Gospel attributed to certain Jewish sects that identified the Holy Spirit as a female and thought that the Spirit was Jesus’ mother. This Gospel also claims it was the Holy Spirit who spoke to Christ at the latter’s baptism, where

JEROME & JUDITH

This is what the illustrious theologian and scholar St. Jerome wrote in regards to the canonicity of Judith. All emphasis is mine. Jerome, Prologue to Judith (2006) [Translated by Kevin P. Edgecomb] BEGINNING OF THE PROLOGUE TO JUDITH Among the Hebrews the Book of Judith is found among the Hagiographa,