The question everyone asks
“Who chose the books of the Bible?” The popular myth says one late council voted the Bible into existence. The history is stronger: the Church recognized books already functioning as Scripture, applying consistent criteria over time. The councils confirmed; they did not confer.
Milestones (free preview)
- c. 170 — the Muratorian Fragment, the earliest surviving NT list
- 367 — Athanasius lists the exact 27 New Testament books
- 393–419 — the Councils of Hippo & Carthage ratify the canon
What’s in the full member PDF
- A complete dated timeline from the apostolic writings to the Council of Trent
- The four criteria the Church used to recognize Scripture
- A note on the Old Testament canon and the deuterocanon
- A “myths vs. facts” table (including the Nicaea myth)
Members: download the full printable timeline below. Support for $1/month or more to unlock every resource.