An Essay on the Development of Christian DoctrineNewman, John Henry
Religion
An Essay on the Development of Christian Doctrine
Newman, John Henry
Catholic Church -- Doctrines; Dogma, Development of
For instance, as to the Epistle of St. James. It is true, it is
contained in the old Syriac version in the second century; but Origen,
in the third century, is the first writer who distinctly mentions it
among the Greeks; and it is not quoted by name by any Latin till the
fourth. St. Jerome speaks of its gaining credit "by degrees, in process
of time." Eusebius says no more than that it had been, up to his time,
acknowledged by the majority; and he classes it with the Shepherd of St.
Hermas and the Epistle of St. Barnabas.[124:2]
Again: "The Epistle to the Hebrews, though received in the East, was not
received in the Latin Churches till St. Jerome's time. St. Irenæus
either does not affirm, or denies that it is St. Paul's. Tertullian
ascribes it to St. Barnabas. Caius excludes it from his list. St.
Hippolytus does not receive it. St. Cyprian is silent about it. It is
doubtful whether St. Optatus received it."[124:3]
Again, St. Jerome tells us, that in his day, towards A.D. 400, the
Greek Church rejected the Apocalypse, but the Latin received it.
Again: "The New Testament consists of twenty-seven books in all, though
of varying importance. Of these, fourteen are not mentioned at all till
from eighty to one hundred years after St. John's death, in which number
are the Acts, the Second to the Corinthians, the Galatians, the
Colossians, the Two to the Thessalonians, and St. James. Of the other
thirteen, five, viz. St. John's Gospel, the Philippians, the First to
Timothy, the Hebrews, and the First of St. John are quoted but by one
writer during the same period."[125:1]
3.
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