Go Back   Religion Board > Individual Religions > Christianity > Eastern Orthodoxy


Reply
 
LinkBack Thread Tools
  #1 (permalink)  
Old 04-25-2009, 07:53 AM
Javed Iqbal's Avatar
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2009
Posts: 2,607
Default When was the biblical canon of the Eastern Orthodox Church established, and by whom?

I understand that the Eastern Orthodox Old Testament canon is based on the Greek Septuagint. What I would like to know are any details concerning the establishment of these Scriptures as canon **FOR the EASTERN ORTHODOX CHURCH**, not for the Western Church. For example:

In what year were these Scriptures determined to be canonical?
Whose decision was it?
Why are Septuagint books such as 1 Enoch and Jubilees excluded?
Which Greek Septuagint text was determined to be authoritative, when, and by whom?

I appreciate knowledgeable information, and I appreciate it if a source is provided even more.

Thank you very much.

Jim
OK, I received some knowledgeable answers - but not to the question that I asked. Let me provide more detail:

First, the Eastern Orthodox (EO) biblical canon contains 3 Scriptures which are **not included** in the Western canon as defined at Hippo and Carthage. These are 3 & 4 Maccabees and Psalm 151. These Scriptures have *not* traditionally been included in the Western (Latin) canon!

Now, what I want to know is when the current EO canon was established. Clearly, it was *not* at Carthage or Hippo, as these Scriptures are *not* included in that list, or in the later Decretum Gelasianum.

At *some* point an Eastern (Greek) canon was established that differs from that of the (Latin) West (which was established, except for the book of Baruch, at Hippo and Carthage).

SO, when was the Eastern canon - *as it exists today* - established?

Thanks.

Jim
Reply With Quote
Sponsored Links
  #2 (permalink)  
Old 04-30-2009, 07:53 AM
DOOMED! We're all doomed!'s Avatar
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2009
Posts: 2,659
Orthodox church uses the bible that the Catholic Church compiled in the 4Th century
Reply With Quote
  #3 (permalink)  
Old 05-04-2009, 07:53 AM
Pressure.Point's Avatar
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2009
Posts: 2,536
Google the Great Schism. The Eastern Orthodox church split from the Catholic in the 11Th century.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/East-West_Schism
Reply With Quote
  #4 (permalink)  
Old 05-08-2009, 07:53 AM
turntable's Avatar
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2009
Posts: 2,605
From the 4Th century, right up until the schism in the 11Th century, the Septuagint was universally accepted by the whole Church, as was all the rest of the biblical Canon.
Reply With Quote
  #5 (permalink)  
Old 05-09-2009, 07:53 AM
mini_me's Avatar
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2009
Posts: 2,589
I can only answer you questions partially, but I'll try.
The Septuagint was used Jesus and the apostles, and the New Testament most often follows the readings of Septuagint in quoting the Old Testament. The Septuagint has been in continuous use by Greek-speaking Christians ever since. The canon for the whole church (East and West) was set at the Third Council of Carthage in 397 (http://www.bible-researcher.com/carthage.html).

I couldn't say why the book of Enoch was not included, since it is quoted by St. Jude in the New Testament, and by several important fathers. Note that the excluded books were not found to be heretical but the council determined that "nothing [else is to] be read in the Church under the title of divine Scriptures," meaning to be read in the services of the Church. However, both of the books you mention fell into disuse and no long exist in Greek. (see Wikipedia articles on them.)

The authoritative modern Orthodox edition of Septuagint is maintained on line by the Church of Greece (http://www.myriobiblos.gr/bible/ot/default.asp). I couldn't tell you who prepared it.
Reply With Quote
  #6 (permalink)  
Old 05-10-2009, 07:53 AM
John B's Avatar
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2009
Posts: 2,564
The Old Testament canon of Scripture is that of the Septuagint, which was the Bible of the apostles. Other Christian communions through the years have deviated somewhat from this apostolic canon which the Orthodox Church still uses. The canon of the New Testament was developed over the early centuries of the Church. Its first known listing in its final form is the Paschal Letter of St. Athanasius of Alexandria in A.D. 367.

http://orthodoxwiki.org/Biblical_canon#The_Canon_of_Scripture
Reply With Quote
Reply


Thread Tools


Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Did the Eastern Orthodox Church experience the same corruption as the Catholic Church For the Cause Eastern Orthodoxy 4 11-08-2009 04:10 AM
Is the Orthodox Church of America officially part of the Eastern Orthodox Church? wcarolinew Eastern Orthodoxy 3 04-20-2009 04:03 AM
what is the difference of the Roman catholic church and the Eastern Orthodox church? Brandon R Eastern Orthodoxy 12 10-08-2008 06:42 AM
What is the Eastern Orthodox Church and what are the beliefs of Orthodox Christians? Nick Eastern Orthodoxy 3 05-16-2008 07:31 AM
What year was the Roman Catholic Church established? Where was it established? goodbooksmelbourne Roman Catholicism 3 04-04-2008 06:41 AM

 
Forum Stats
Members: 14,010
Threads: 50,396
Posts: 543,312
Total Online: 65

Newest Member: telson7

Latest Threads

Advertisement