“The Book of Enoch and Canonical Tradition
The Book of Enoch, also known as 1 Enoch, is an ancient Jewish text that is not part of the Jewish Tanakh or the Christian Old Testament in most traditions. However, it has been preserved in the Ethiopian Orthodox Church's canon and is considered scripture there. This inclusion reflects the more fluid and diverse understanding of what constitutes inspired scripture in different Christian traditions.
Western Canon Formation and Jerome
Jerome, a key figure in the early Christian Church, was responsible for the Latin Vulgate translation of the Bible, completed in the late 4th century. Jerome was influenced by Jewish scholars in Bethlehem, where he lived for much of his life, and these scholars likely adhered to the canon established by the Pharisaic tradition, which later became the Masoretic Text. This canon did not include books like the Book of Enoch. The influence of this Jewish canon was significant in shaping the Christian Old Testament in the West.
Protestant Canon and the Westminster Confession
The Protestant Reformation brought a renewed focus on scripture, with reformers like Martin Luther emphasizing the authority of the Bible alone ("sola scriptura"). The Westminster Confession of Faith (1647) and the King James Version (1611) represent key moments in the establishment of a fixed Protestant canon. These documents reflect the acceptance of a specific set of books as canonical, influenced by earlier decisions like the Councils of Carthage (397 and 419) and the Jewish canon, but rejecting apocryphal or deuterocanonical books.
The Council of Trent and the Catholic Canon
The Council of Trent (1546) was the Catholic Church's response to the Reformation, reaffirming the inclusion of the deuterocanonical books (like Tobit, Judith, Wisdom, etc.) in the Catholic canon, which Protestants had rejected. This established a clear distinction between the Protestant and Catholic canons.
Global Influence and Potential Alignment
Your suggestion that churches with canons that include the Book of Enoch might eventually align with the Protestant or Catholic canon reflects an ongoing tension between local religious traditions and the influence of larger, often Western, Christian movements. While it's possible that globalization and the dominance of certain Christian traditions (especially Western Protestantism and Catholicism) could lead to a more uniform canon worldwide, this is far from guaranteed.
Many churches, particularly in Ethiopia and other parts of Africa, maintain strong traditions that resist Western influence. The Ethiopian Orthodox Church, for example, has a long history and a deep commitment to its own canon, including the Book of Enoch. While there might be pressure to conform, it's unlikely that these traditions will easily abandon their unique scriptural heritage.
Conclusion
While Western Christian traditions, especially through the influence of the Protestant Reformation and the Council of Trent, have had a significant impact on the global Christian understanding of the biblical canon, it is not inevitable that all Christian traditions will conform to this. The diversity of Christian practice and belief around the world, particularly in regions with strong historical traditions like Ethiopia, suggests that the Book of Enoch and other unique elements of non-Western canons will continue to be preserved, even in the face of external pressures.”
— ChatGPT
