empiricalDeity

Hey i did a quick search didn't seem to find an answer to the question in my title. I listened to a mp3 series by Bart Erhmen on Early church fathers, and he was talking about 1 epsitle of clement, being dated as one of the earliest from the collection he was talking about.

But he didn't say why it was not included in the biblical canon.

I don't think it has alot to with contradictory content.

I am leaning to the idea to the issue of authority. but then why is the Epistle of Hebrews considered canonical, even if Christians generally accept Paul didn't write it?

spin

Canon was decided by church fathers and one of the governing factors was (perceived) apostolic connection. Clement wasn't an apostle.


spin

Clouseau

What difference would it make if this book was canonical?

Roger Pearse

If we follow Eusebius' discussion of canon, and that in the Muratorian canon, Clement is not canonical since it didn't come from the apostolic circle and makes clear that it belongs to a subsequent generation. Hebrews is of now unknown authorship, but second-century attributions to Luke and Barnabas indicate that it was considered apostolic and connected to Paul somehow.

Doug Shaver

What Roger said. That consensus is fairly recent, although its authorship apparently has been disputed even among Christians from Day One. For some reason, sometime early on somebody got the idea that Paul had written it, and that belief had enough staying power to gain it canonical status. That made it authoritative, and once that happened, the issue of the author's true identity became practically moot.

Clouseau

'By reason of jealousy and strife Paul by his example pointed out the prize of patient endurance. After he had been seven times in chains, had been driven into exile, had been stoned, had preached in the East and in the West, he won the noble renown which was the reward of his faith, having taught righteousness to the whole world and having reached the farthest bounds of the West; and when he had given his testimony before the rulers, so he departed from the world and went to the holy place, having been found a notable pattern of patient endurance.' 1 'Clem' 5:5-6