[Mad Dawg]

You claim not to know about debate. Let me lay some Zen on you: The best way to debate is not to debate. Just try really really hard to tell the truth. That's quite demanding enough for most of us. Oh, also pray for the grace to prefer losing to the truth above winning.

Why did the RCC wait more than 1,500 years to close their canon? It was not closed before this point.

I keep promising myself to program a macro key for this answer: Councils and popes generally are re-active. They don't declare, define, and anathematize until something is excessively controversial.

There was no serious need, before Luther, to 'close the canon' on the OT. And just as the development, maybe even the idea of an NT canon arose (as I am told) in response to Marcion's proposing his own, so the OT canon was closed in response to Luther proposing his own.

[Quix]

How do you program macro keys in win7?

Been threatening to learn that for years.

[OLD REGGIE]

There was no serious need, before Luther, to 'close the canon' on the OT. And just as the development, maybe even the idea of an NT canon arose (as I am told) in response to Marcion's proposing his own, so the OT canon was closed in response to Luther proposing his own.

I'll buy that logic. Of course until the canon was closed the RCC could "find" a new book as required. :-)

I believe it was Mark who gave me a hard time about the delay of the Hebrews in closing their canon. The reason is similar; it wasn't necessary until the Hellenists began attempting to add books to it.