church. It was a synonym for orthodoxy in belief and practice. As time passed, it also came to refer to those Scriptures which Christians regarded as normative for the church and which contained approved doctrine. These books became the canon of the New Testament. Determining Canonicity The criteria for determining canonicity are difficult to determine precisely. Some books were quickly and widely received. Others appear to have been severely questioned and little used. Some books were accepted into the
Page 71