Potential for Future Scripture Canon Updates in Christianity
The Christian concept of the biblical canon refers to the collection of books recognized as the authoritative rule of faith and practice for the Church [2, 1]. The term "canon" itself derives from Hebrew and Greek words meaning a reed or cane, signifying a straight rod used as a rule or standard [1].
The question of whether the Christian scriptural canon can be updated in the future elicits different responses across Christian traditions. Many Protestant traditions, particularly those stemming from the Reformation, hold that the canon is closed. This perspective often emphasizes that the books contained within the Bible were inspired by the Holy Spirit and that their authority does not arise from ecclesiastical decree [1, 3]. Charles Hodge, for instance, argues that the divine authority of the Bible as a whole, including all its constituent writings, is sanctioned by Christ and the Apostles when they refer to "the Scriptures" or "the law and the prophets" [3]. From this viewpoint, determining the Old Testament canon involves ascertaining which books were accepted as authoritative at that time [3]. The New Testament canon is similarly understood to have been settled by the early church's recognition of apostolic writings.
Some interpretations of Revelation 22:18-19 are also cited to support the idea of a closed canon, particularly for the book of Revelation itself. This passage issues a curse upon anyone who alters its contents, which some scholars interpret as a warning to protect the integrity of the book's message [5]. This reflects a broader concern in early Christianity to authenticate messages and messengers, as seen in other New Testament writings [5].
In contrast, the Catholic Church holds a view that allows for a continuing, though not necessarily expanding, understanding of the faith. While the "deposit of faith" (which includes Scripture and Tradition) is considered "once for all delivered to the saints," the Church's understanding of this faith can grow with the assistance of the Holy Spirit, guided by the teaching authority (Magisterium) [6]. This growth in understanding does not imply adding new books to the canon but rather a deeper penetration and application of the existing heritage of faith [6]. The Council of Trent, for example, definitively listed the books of the Old and New Testaments, including the Deuterocanonical books, affirming them as sacred and canonical [7].
Historically, the process of canonization involved discerning which texts accurately conveyed divine revelation. Augustine, for instance, discussed the exclusion of certain ancient writings from the ecclesiastical canon to prevent the insertion of falsehoods [4]. This highlights a historical awareness of the need to safeguard the integrity of the sacred texts.
Sources
- Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Canon — This word is derived from a Hebrew and Greek word denoting a reed or cane. Hence it means something straight, or something to keep straight; and hence also a rule, or something ruled or measured. It came to be applied to the Scriptures, to denote that they contained the authoritative rule of faith and practice, the standard of doctrine and duty. A book is said to be of canonical authority when it has a right to take a place with the other books which contain a revelation of the Divine will. Such a right does not arise from any ecclesiastical authority, but fr”
- Smith's Bible Dictionary “Smith's Bible Dictionary: Canon Of Scripture, The — may be generally described as the "collection of books which form the original and authoritative written rule of the faith and practice of the Christian Church," i.e. the Old and New Testaments. The word canon, in classical Greek, is properly a straight rod, "a rule" in the widest sense, and especially in the phrases "the rule of the Church," "the rule of faith," "the rule of truth," The first direct application of the term canon to the Scriptures seems to be in the verses of Amphilochius (cir. 380 A.D.), where the word indicates the rule by ”
- CCEL (Reformed (Old Princeton)) “Charles Hodge, Systematic Theology, Vol. 1, section 40: Word of God. When we refer to the Bible as 153 of divine authority, we refer to it as a volume and recognize all the writings which it contains as given by the inspiration of the Spirit. In like manner when Christ or his Apostles quote the “Scriptures,” or the “law and the prophets,” and speak of the volume then so called, they give their sanction to the divine authority of all the books which that volume contained. All, therefore, that is necessary to determine for Christians the canon of the Old Testament, is to ascertain what books wer”
- Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “NPNF1 Vol 2: Augustine — City of God, Christian Doctrine — CHAP.38.--THAT THE ECCLESIASTICAL CANON HAS NOT ADMITTED CERTAIN WRITINGS ON ACCOUNT OF THEIR TOO GREAT ANTIQUITY, LEST THROUGH THEM FALSE THINGS SHOULD BE INSERTED INSTEAD OF TRUE. (part 1): If I may recall far more ancient times, our patriarch Noah was certainly even before that great deluge, and I might not undeservedly call him a prophet, forasmuch as the ark he made, in which he escaped with his family, was itself a prophecy of our times.(2) What of Enoch, the seventh from Adam? Does not the canonical epistle of the Apostle Jude d”
- Revelation (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Revelation 22:18: 22:18-19 I solemnly declare: John issues an oath to protect the integrity of the book of Revelation. He declares a curse upon anyone who alters the contents of the book or its message (cp. Deut 4:2; 12:32). The curse contrasts with the statement of blessing on all who read aloud, listen to, and obey the prophecy (Rev 1:3). At the time Revelation was written, scribes would sometimes alter books to suit their own views. Early Christians quickly developed means of authenticating both messages and messengers (see John 21:24; 1 Cor 16:21; Gal 6:11; Col 4:18; 2 The”
- Catechism of the Catholic Church (Catholic) “Catechism of the Catholic Church, Article 2 (part 5): "By this appreciation of the faith, aroused and sustained by the Spirit of truth, the People of God, guided by the sacred teaching authority (Magisterium),. . . receives. . . the faith, once for all delivered to the saints. . . the People unfailingly adheres to this faith, penetrates it more deeply with right judgment, and applies it more fully in daily life."56 Growth in understanding the faith 94 Thanks to the assistance of the Holy Spirit, the understanding of both the realities and the words of the heritage of faith is able to grow in t”
- Thirty-Nine Articles of Religion (Anglican) “Thirty-Nine Articles of Religion (Anglican, 1571), A Form for the Renewal of Diaconal Commitment (B2): A Form for the Renewal of Diaconal Commitment (B2) Act of Penitence Blessing Blessings Collect Confession Extended Preface Extended Preface Gospel Acclamation Gospel Acclamation Greeting Historical Note Intercessions Introduction to the Peace Introduction to the Season Introductions to the Peace Invitations to Confession Kyrie Confession Notes Post Communion Prayer after Communion Prayer at the Preparation of the Table Prayer at the Preparation of the Table Prayer over the Oils Preface Prefac”