Apostolic Quote by F. F. Bruce
“One thing must be emphatically stated. The New Testament books did not become authoritative for the Church because they were formally included in a canonical list; on the contrary, the Church included them in her canon because she already regarded them as divinely inspired, recognizing their innate worth and generally apostolic authority, direct or indirect.”
About This Quote
Source Book: The Canon of Scripture by F. F. Bruce, 1975
The New Testament became canonical because the early Church already recognized its divine inspiration and authority, not because it was formally listed.
In simple terms: Church recognized authority before formal listing.
Key Takeaway
Trust early community discernment.
Themes
authority
canon
scripture
tradition
Mood
scholarly
reflective
Type
historical
theological
When to use this quote
- theology studies
- church history
- biblical education
Key Concepts
Divine inspiration
apostolic authority
historical development
Questions to Reflect On
- What criteria did early Christians use to judge texts?
- How does this view affect contemporary biblical interpretation?
A Different Perspective
Modern scholars may debate specific criteria for canity.
![“What the universal Church holds, not as instituted [invented] by councils but as something always held, is most correctly believed to have been handed down by apostolic authority. Since others respond for children, so that the celebration of the sacrament may be complete for them, it is certainly…” quote by Saint Augustine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/89b/saint-augustine-328_able_what-the-universal-church-holds-not-as-i_2758669.jpg)
