[sitetest]

Dear bobjam,

Thanks. That clears it up some.

From a Catholic perspective, then, the Anglicans use the Protestant bible.

"It really wasn't until the invention of the printing press and the mass production of Bibles that Christian leaders began to seriously resolve the question of what books constituted the Old Testament canon."

I think that most informed Catholics and Orthodox wouldn't agree with this statement.

Thanks again,


sitetest

[bobjam]

The Bibles in the pews are Protestant ones. In many ECUSA parishes, they are also covered with dust.

I am not aware of an authoritative body laying out the canonical books of the Old Testament prior to the Council of Trent. I know several of the Apostolic Fathers and Doctors of the Church have given their say on what those books are (e.g. St John of Damascus's Exposition of the Orthodox Faith). I don't think it was seen as a priority for the ancient and medieval church since "the extra books" don't contradict the rest of the Bible.