Encyclopedic Dictionary of Bible and Theology

Canon of the Old Testament The word canon as applied to the Scriptures has long had a special and consecrated meaning. In its fullest comprehension it signifies the authoritative list or closed number of the writings composed under Divine inspiration, and destined for the well-being of the Church, using the latter word in the wide … Continue reading “Canon of the Old Testament”

Canon of the New Testament, The kanun I.Two Preliminary Considerations 1.Early Christians Had the Old Testament 2.No Intention of Writing the New Testament II.Three Stages of the Process 1.From the Apostles to 170 ad (1)Clement of Rome; Ignatius; Polycarp (2)Forces Increasing Value of Writings (a)Apologists, Justin Martyr (b)Gnostics, Marcion 2.From 170 ad to 220 ad … Continue reading “Canon of the New Testament, The”

Canon of the New Testament The Catholic New Testament, as defined by the Council of Trent, does not differ, as regards the books contained, from that of all Christian bodies at present. Like the Old Testament, the New has its deuterocanonical books and portions of books, their canonicity having formerly been a subject of some … Continue reading “Canon Of The New Testament”

Canon of the Mass The most solemn part of the Mass in which the Sacrificial Act proper takes place, the Consecration and change of the bread and wine into the Body and Blood of Christ. It begins with an oblation and prayer for all the faithful, followed by commemorations of the living, and of the … Continue reading “Canon Of The Mass”

Canon Of The Liturgy is that portion of the liturgy which contains the form of consecration, and which in the Roman and most other rites is fixed and invariable. It is also called Actio, and the title Infra Actionem (infra being used for intra) is not uncommonly placed over the prayer Communicantes, in ancient MSS. … Continue reading “Canon Of The Liturgy”

Canon of the Holy Scriptures The official catalog of inspired writings, known as the Old and New Testament. Before the close of the 4th century there was much uncertainty concerning this list of Divinely-inspired books, due to conflicting Jewish and Christian traditions. For the Old Testament the Jews distinguished the books contained in the Hebrew … Continue reading “Canon of the Holy Scriptures”

Canon Of The Church Of England The authority of the English canons rests upon the statute 25 Henry VIII, commonly called the act of submission of the clergy, by which they acknowledged that the convocation had been always assembled by the king’s writ; and they promised, in verbo sacerdotis not to attempt, claim, or put … Continue reading “Canon Of The Church Of England”

Canon of Scripture, The Canon of Scripture, The. The Canon of Scripture 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”, that is, the Old and New Testaments. The word canon, in classical Greek, is properly a straight … Continue reading “Canon of Scripture, The”

Canon Of Scripture as the phrase is usually employed, may be defined as the Authoritative Standard of Religion and Morals, composed of those writings which have been given for this purpose by God to men. A definition frequently given of the Canon is, that it is the Catalogue of the Sacred Books; while Semler (Von … Continue reading “Canon of Scripture”

Canon Of Odes is applied to a part of the office of the Greek Church, sung to a musical tone, for the most part at Lauds, and which corresponds to the hymns of the Western Church. A canon is usually divided into nine odes, each ode consisting of a variable number of stanzas or troparia, … Continue reading “Canon Of Odes”