There were many inspired works including some actually written by Apostles and eye witnesses to the ministry of Jesus and many of these were rejected by the Church as not meeting the standard of inerrancy as the final 27 books of the New Testament. There was heated disagreement over some excluded books like the Epistle of Barnabas and included books like Revelation. We even have books written by the original 12 Apostles, Thomas and Philip, excluded. The matter was not settled until the Catholic Church set the Canon of Scripture at the Council of Rome in A.D. 382 under the authority of Pope Damasus I. Damasus I, the 37th pope was the one who commissioned St. Jermome to write the Vulgate translation of the Bible.
It should be noted that the Sacred Tradition sustained the Church throughout the period from the first Pentecost until the Canon was set. It was this Tradition, as expressed in the Creeds, that served as the standard against which the various writings were compared to determine their acceptability.
As I stated, the NT writings were in existence and considered authoritative in the first centuries because they were written by the Apostles or those close to them. The early fathers did not consider themselves or their traditions above the Apostles' writings.
So, I’ll need to reconcile this against what the Orthodox say, as there is great debate as to who is really responsible. I know you say I should believe you, and the Orothodox say I should believe them. Where do I begin my arduous study of the facts? Apparently, I must search through hundreds of years of documents to find the truth.
Not sure I have the access I need to these documents to do this. I think I’ll just follow the Bible and the Holy Spirit.
Take care.