Trent defines its scriptural canon and appeals to apostolic tradition
About this date: The session heading dates the decrees to 8 April 1546.
Trent's fourth session lists the biblical books received by the council and affirms apostolic traditions alongside written Scripture.
Historical context
The decree establishes the Catholic council's working authorities during Reformation disputes over doctrine and biblical interpretation.
Key points
- Its list includes books later commonly called deuterocanonical.
- A second decree regulates the public use and printing of the Latin Vulgate.
- The text concerns Catholic authority; it does not establish an identical canon for every Christian tradition.
People
- Paul III
- Council fathers
Primary sources
The decree states that:
Trent's fourth session describes the Gospel's saving truth and moral discipline as contained in written books and unwritten apostolic traditions.
this truth and discipline are contained in the written books, and the unwritten traditions
Passage context and translation
Trent describes the Gospel's saving truth and moral discipline as contained in written books and unwritten apostolic traditions, then lists the biblical books it receives. This is the Catholic council's doctrinal assertion, not evidence that every Christian tradition adopted the same canon or interpretation of tradition.
Before the excerpt
and seeing clearly that
After the excerpt
which, received by the Apostles
Sources and further reading
- Trent, Fourth Session
Names the books and sets out the council's authority and printing rules.