Jerome's Canonical Consistency

Jerome's views on the biblical canon remain unchanged throughout his life, countering claims that he flipped his perspective on the deuterocanonical books. The popular assertion suggests he initially rejected and later accepted these books as canonical, but this interpretation is misaligned with the historical evidence and standard scholarly consensus. Jerome consistently treated certain texts as scripture without categorically redefining his canon, indicating that his references to deuterocanonical books did not signify a change in belief. Furthermore, this perspective is echoed by respected scholars, who generally agree that Jerome did not alter his stance later in life.