[jo kus]

I do not believe that there is any hard evidence that even the earliest Gnostic "gospels" (those of "Peter" and "Thomas") predated the canonical Gospels -- or at least the first three. There is furthermore no evidence in Christian tradition or really any internal evidence that the writing of those first three Gospels happened as a reaction to the writing of Gnostic gospels.

I think Kosta was referring to the Canonization of the NT Scriptures, not its original writing. There were a number of valuable writings that many local churches were content to read DURING the Liturgy that were later not accepted as part of the Canon. For example, the First Letter of Clement to the Corinthians was read by the Corinthian churches for over 150 years during the Mass. It was only later forces of Marcion and Gnosticism (opposing forces of contraction/expansion) that "forced" the Church to determine the contents of the Canon.

Regards

[kosta50]

For example, the First Letter of Clement to the Corinthians was read by the Corinthian churches for over 150 years during the Mass. It was only later forces of Marcion and Gnosticism (opposing forces of contraction/expansion) that "forced" the Church to determine the contents of the Canon

You've go that right, brother. You understand what I was referring to but you said it better than I could.