[HarleyD]

I'm afraid I don't see how the early church fathers' action of closing off the Bible is unbiblical. There were numerous heretical documents floating around and, as Augustine writes, they wanted to ensure the genuine documents could be distinguished from the false.

Also, some individuals were asserting their documents were inspired although written hundreds of years later. Augustine mentions the inspiration of future insertions is questionable the farther out in time you move. Thus many writings were rejected because, at that time, they were too new.

While Augustine's and the other early church fathers writings are not inspired, these were wise and godly men who took great care and sacrificed much to record and preserve the thought, history and record of the early church. And although at times they had their differing points of doctrinal views, the church fathers were unanimous on compiling and closing the Bible just as the Jews closed the writings of the Old Testament.

The church fathers were subjected to all the frailties of men and their works must be read with a discerning eye. But I’d hesitate to say they're action of closing off the Bible to which they all agreed was unbiblical.

[pseudogratix]

I'm afraid I don't see how the early church fathers' action of closing off the Bible is unbiblical...

Surely you can see that you are merely demonstrating that my assertion is correct. You are referencing material outside the Bible to claim such and such about the Bible. Whether that is unbiblical, extra-biblical or something else is beside the point, because it certainly isn't "using only the Bible" or demonstrating that "the Bible is enough." Seeing that nowhere in the scripture contained within the Bible as we have it today is there a decree to "close up shop," per se, and bind up the volume, the early fathers were either acting on their own initiative, acting on guidance by the Holy Spirit, acting under some directive from someone or whatever, but they certainly weren't acting on anything in scripture contained within the Bible as we have it today.

pseudogratix @ In Him All Things Hold Together