The books of the New Testament that were accepted as "canonical" appear to have been complex and gradual, involving a combination of factors such as apostolic authorship, adherence to orthodox Christian teachings, and widespread acceptance among the early Christian communities. The writings of early church fathers, such as Athanasius, played a significant role in determining which books were considered authoritative/canon and which were not. Some early texts, such as the Gospel of Thomas and the Didache, were not ultimately included in the canon of the New Testament due to the lack of apostolic authority or adherence to orthodox Christian teachings. Some early Christian texts did not make it into the canon of the New Testament. These include works such as the Gospel of Thomas, Mary, and the Shepherd of Hermas. These texts were deemed non-canonical for various reasons, such as their late composition date, lack of apostolic authorship, and teachings considered heretical by the early church.
In the early days, before the complete canon of the New Testament was recognized, religious authority may have been based on factors such as the teachings of prominent church leaders, the authority of the apostles, and the consensus of the early Christian communities. The development of the canon was a gradual process that involved debates and discussions among early Christian leaders, and it ultimately resulted in a collection of texts that were considered to be inspired and authoritative for the Christian faith. It took roughly 300 years for the complete canon of the New Testament to be recognized, with Athanasius' Easter Letter dating from 367 AD. During this period, religious authority was based on a combination of factors, including the teachings of early church leaders, the writings of the apostles, and the guidance of the Holy Spirit. The early church relied on the authority of bishops, councils, and apostolic tradition to discern which texts were genuinely inspired by God and should be included in the New Testament. Ultimately, the consensus of the early Christian community, guided by the Holy Spirit, led to the formal recognition of the canon of the New Testament as we know it today.
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