You've mentioned several times now that "these books" were also in some Protestant versions but you leave out the fact that they - just as Jerome insisted - belonged in a SEPARATE section from the two testaments. NO ONE considered them as Divinely-inspired, from the Holy Spirit, genuine, as valid and authoritative for doctrine as the non-disputed writings. Just wanted to let you know I haven't missed that point. Were they "useful" or "edifying"? Probably. Did they EVER claim to be the WORD OF THE LORD? No, not a one did. Did Jerome or Luther ever claim that they were valid for determining doctrine? No, they didn't. They said they were NOT valid for that purpose.
Again...it was not the church who gave Scripture its authority. The church is SUBJECT to God's word.
I already addressed Jerome and the deuterocanonicals. Why did you ignore what I wrote? By the way, Jerome described those who say he denied the divine authority of the deuterocanonicals, “fools and slanderers.”
I already addressed Jerome and the deuterocanonicals. Why did you ignore what I wrote? By the way, Jerome described those who say he denied the divine authority of the deuterocanonicals, “fools and slanderers.”
“Useful,” “edifying,” etc., has nothing to do with the matter; they were used as part of the sacred Mass, as one of the triune manifestations of the Word (the others being the congregation of saints and the Holy Sacrifice).