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The word "apocrypha" means "hidden writings" and comes from the [[Greek]] through [[Latin]]. The general term is usually applied to the books that were considered by the church as useful, but not [[divine]]ly inspired. As such, to refer to [[Gnostic]] writings as "apocryphal" is misleading since they would not be classified in the same category by orthodox believers.

The word "apocrypha" means "hidden writings" and comes from the [[Greek]] through [[Latin]]. The general term is usually applied to the books that were considered by the church as useful, but not [[divine]]ly inspired. As such, to refer to [[Gnostic]] writings as "apocryphal" is misleading since they would not be classified in the same category by orthodox believers.

==History==

==History==

That some works are categorized as [[New Testament]] ''Apocrypha'' is indicative of the wide range of [[responses]] that were engendered in the [[interpretation]] of the message of [[Jesus]] of Nazareth. According to [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eusebius Eusebius] the first such gospel was the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gospel_according_to_the_Hebrews Gospel according to the Hebrews]. During the first several centuries of the transmission of that message, considerable [[debate]] turned on safeguarding its authenticity. Three key [[methods]] of addressing this survive to the present day: ordination, where groups [[authorize]] [[individuals]] as reliable [[teachers]] of the message; [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Creeds creeds], where [[groups]] define the boundaries of interpretation of the message; and [[canon]]s, which list the primary documents certain groups believe contain the message originally taught by Jesus (in other [[words]], the [[Bible]]). Many early books about Jesus were not included in the canons, and are now termed apocryphal. Some of them were vigorously suppressed and survive only as fragments. The earliest lists of authentic works of the [[New Testament]] were not quite the same as modern lists; for example, the [[Book of Revelation]] was long regarded as inauthentic, while [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shepherd_of_Hermas Shepherd of Hermas] was considered genuine by many Christians, and appears in several ancient Bibles.

That some works are categorized as [[New Testament]] ''Apocrypha'' is indicative of the wide range of [[responses]] that were engendered in the [[interpretation]] of the message of [[Jesus]] of Nazareth. According to [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eusebius Eusebius] the first such gospel was the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gospel_according_to_the_Hebrews Gospel according to the Hebrews]. During the first several centuries of the transmission of that message, considerable [[debate]] turned on safeguarding its authenticity. Three key [[methods]] of addressing this survive to the present day: ordination, where groups [[authorize]] [[individuals]] as reliable [[teachers]] of the message; [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Creeds creeds], where [[groups]] define the boundaries of interpretation of the message; and [[canon]]s, which list the primary documents certain groups believe contain the message originally taught by Jesus (in other [[words]], the [[Bible]]). Many early books about Jesus were not included in the canons, and are now termed apocryphal. Some of them were vigorously suppressed and survive only as fragments. The earliest lists of authentic works of the [[New Testament]] were not quite the same as modern lists; for example, the [[Book of Revelation]] was long regarded as inauthentic, while [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shepherd_of_Hermas Shepherd of Hermas] was considered genuine by many Christians, and appears in several ancient Bibles.

The works that presented themselves as "authentic" but that did not obtain general acceptance from within the churches are called "New Testament Apocrypha". These are not accepted as canonical by most [[mainstream]] Christian denominations; only the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ethiopian_Orthodox_Church Ethiopian Orthodox Church] recognizes the Shepherd of Hermas, [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Epistles_of_Clement 1 Clement], [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acts_of_Paul Acts of Paul], and several [[Old Testament]] books that most other denominations reject, but it should be noted that this church does not adhere to an explicit canon. The Syriac [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peshitta Peshitta], used by all the various Syrian Churches, originally did not include 2 Peter, 2 John, 3 John, Jude and Revelation (and this canon of 22 books is the one cited by [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Chrysostom John Chrysostom] (~347-407) and [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theodoret Theodoret] (393-466) from the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/School_of_Antioch School of Antioch] [1]). Western Syrians have added the remaining five books to their New Testament canons in modern times [2](such as the ''Lee Peshitta'' of 1823). Today, the official lectionaries followed by the Malankara Syrian Orthodox Church, with headquarters at Kottayam (India), and the Chaldean Syrian Church, also known as the Church of the East (Nestorian), with headquarters at Trichur (India), still only present lessons from the 22 books of the original Peshitta. [3] The Armenian Apostolic church at times has included the Third Epistle to the Corinthians, but does not always list it with the other 27 canonical New Testament books. This Church did not accept the Revelation into its Bible until 1200 CE.[4] The New Testament of the Coptic Bible, adopted by the Egyptian Church, includes the two [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Epistles_of_Clement Epistles of Clement].

The works that presented themselves as "authentic" but that did not obtain general acceptance from within the churches are called "New Testament Apocrypha". These are not accepted as canonical by most [[mainstream]] Christian denominations; only the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ethiopian_Orthodox_Church Ethiopian Orthodox Church] recognizes the Shepherd of Hermas, [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Epistles_of_Clement 1 Clement], [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acts_of_Paul Acts of Paul], and several [[Old Testament]] books that most other denominations reject, but it should be noted that this church does not adhere to an explicit canon. The Syriac [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peshitta Peshitta], used by all the various Syrian Churches, originally did not include 2 Peter, 2 John, 3 John, Jude and Revelation (and this canon of 22 books is the one cited by [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Chrysostom John Chrysostom] (~347-407) and [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theodoret Theodoret] (393-466) from the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/School_of_Antioch School of Antioch] [1]). Western Syrians have added the remaining five books to their New Testament canons in modern times [2](such as the ''Lee Peshitta'' of 1823). Today, the official lectionaries followed by the Malankara Syrian Orthodox Church, with headquarters at Kottayam (India), and the Chaldean Syrian Church, also known as the Church of the East (Nestorian), with headquarters at Trichur (India), still only present lessons from the 22 books of the original Peshitta. [3] The Armenian Apostolic church at times has included the Third Epistle to the Corinthians, but does not always list it with the other 27 canonical New Testament books. This Church did not accept the Revelation into its Bible until 1200 CE.[4] The New Testament of the Coptic Bible, adopted by the Egyptian Church, includes the two [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Epistles_of_Clement Epistles of Clement].

Books that are known not to have existed in antiquity are usually not considered part of the New Testament Apocrypha. Among these are the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Libellus_de_Nativitate_Sanctae_Mariae Libellus de Nativitate Sanctae Mariae] (also called the "Nativity of Mary") and the Latin Infancy Gospel. The latter two did not exist in antiquity, and they seem to be based on the earlier Infancy Gospels.[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Testament_apocrypha]

Books that are known not to have existed in antiquity are usually not considered part of the New Testament Apocrypha. Among these are the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Libellus_de_Nativitate_Sanctae_Mariae Libellus de Nativitate Sanctae Mariae] (also called the "Nativity of Mary") and the Latin Infancy Gospel. The latter two did not exist in antiquity, and they seem to be based on the earlier Infancy Gospels.[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Testament_apocrypha]

==References==

==References==

# Barth Ehrman, Lost Christianities

# Barth Ehrman, Lost Christianities

==External links==

==External links==

Some of the most complete collections and resources on New Testament Apocrypha can be found at:

Some of the most complete collections and resources on New Testament Apocrypha can be found at:

*[http://www.comparative-religion.com/christianity/apocrypha/ New Testament Apocrypha texts]

*[https://www.comparative-religion.com/christianity/apocrypha/ New Testament Apocrypha texts]

*[http://www.earlychristianwritings.com New Testament Apocrypha resources]

*[https://www.earlychristianwritings.com New Testament Apocrypha resources]

*[http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/01601a.htm New Testament Apocrypha histories]

*[https://www.newadvent.org/cathen/01601a.htm New Testament Apocrypha histories]

[[Category: Religion]]

[[Category: Religion]]

[[Category: Languages and Literature]]

[[Category: Languages and Literature]]