On the Concept of Religious Authority: Dogma, Doctrine, & Truth

Biblical Studies: Annotated Bibliography

Sacred Tradition, Appeals to Apostolic Tradition, & Ecclesiology: An Annotated Bibliography

Divine Magisterium & the Ecumenical Church: An Annotated Bibliography

Annotated Bibliograph (2024-5) --- Theme: The Bible as "Canon" (Standard of Rule)

Secular Academia on Biblical Canonization:

• Armstrong, Karen (2007) The Bible: A Biography. 
• Barnstone, Willis (ed.) (1984). The Other Bible: Ancient Alternative Scriptures. 
• Childs, Brevard S. (1984). The New Testament as Canon: An Introduction.
• Meade, John D. (2017). The biblical canon lists from early Christianity: texts and analysis.
• Schneemelcher Wilhelm (ed). Hennecke Edgard, New Testament Apocrypha, 2 vol.
• McDonald, Lee Martin (2009). Forgotten Scriptures. The Selection and Rejection of Early Religious Writings. 
• McDonald, Lee Martin (2000). Early Christianity and Its Sacred Literature. 
• McDonald, Lee Martin (2007). The Biblical Canon: Its Origin, Transmission, and Authority. 
• Pentiuc, Eugen J., ed. (2022). The Oxford Handbook of the Bible in Orthodox Christianity. 
• Souter, Alexander (1954). The Text and Canon of the New Testament. 
• Stonehouse, Ned Bernhard (1929). The Apocalypse in the Ancient Church: A Study in the History of the New Testament Canon. 
• Wall, Robert W.; Lemcio, Eugene E. (1992). The New Testament as Canon: A Reader in Canonical Criticism. 
• Westcott, Brooke Foss. (1875). A General Survey of the History of the Canon of the New Testament.
• Francis Bruce Vawter's Biblical Inspiration
• Histoire critique du Vieux Testament (1678) 
• Roland Edmund Murphy's The New Jerome Biblical Commentary 

Catholic Academic and Theological Views on Biblical Canonization:

• Henry G. Graham — Where We Got the Bible

• Mike Aquilina — The Bible and the Church Fathers

• Gary Michuta — Why Catholic Bibles Are Bigger

• Jimmy Akin — The Fathers Know Best

• John Bergsma & Brant Pitre — A Catholic Introduction to the Bible: Old Testament

• Scott Hahn — Letter and Spirit

• Timothy M. Gallagher, OMV — The Word of the Lord

• Scott Hahn & Benjamin Wiker — Politicizing the Bible

• Pontifical Biblical Commission — The Inspiration and Truth of Sacred Scripture

• Joseph Ratzinger (Benedict XVI) — Jesus of Nazareth (canonical theology throughout)

• Essays by Catholic scholars in Canon and Biblical Interpretation

• Yves Congar — Tradition and Traditions (essential for understanding canon in relation to Tradition)

• Jean Daniélou — The Bible and the Liturgy (canonical theology in liturgical context)

• Bruce Metzger — The Canon of the New Testament

• Lee Martin McDonald — The Formation of the Christian Biblical Canon

• Shaye J. D. Cohen — From the Maccabees to the Mishnah

Traditional Sources

These represent the canon as understood in the high tradition.

St. Thomas Aquinas

• Summa Theologiae, I, q.1 (on Scripture as a theological source)

• Catena Aurea (reflects the accepted canon in medieval exegesis)

Hugh of St. Victor

• Didascalicon — medieval guide to Scripture and reading

Nicholas of Lyra

• Postillae — influential medieval biblical commentary

Athanasius of Alexandria

• Festal Letter 39 (367 AD) — earliest list matching the 27‑book NT canon.

St. Augustine

• On Christian Doctrine

• The City of God (discusses canonical books)

• Against Faustus the Manichean (defends the Catholic canon)

St. Jerome

• Prologus Galeatus (his famous “helmeted prologue” on the canon)

• Prefaces to the Vulgate books (critical for understanding early canon debates)

St. Irenaeus of Lyons

• Against Heresies — defends the fourfold Gospel and apostolic Scripture

Origen

• Homilies on Joshua and other works referencing canonical lists

St. Cyril of Jerusalem

• Catechetical Lectures — includes a canonical list used in liturgy

St. Gregory the Great

• Prefaces and homilies referencing canonical authority

The Muratorian Fragment (2nd century)

One of the earliest canonical lists used in Rome.

Magisterial & Conciliar Sources

These are the Church’s own authoritative statements on Scripture and canon.

• Council of Rome (382)

• Council of Hippo (393)

• Council of Carthage (397)

• Council of Florence (1442)

• Council of Trent, Session IV (1546)

• Vatican I — Dei Filius

• Vatican II — Dei Verbum

FOR 2025-26, the SHIFT will be towards "Tradition" (2026) and "Magisterium" (2027) (as the triple source of ecclesiastical authority of the Holy Catholic Church)