Athanasius and the New Testament Canon

Athanasius of Alexandria was the first to list the 27 books of the New Testament in 367 AD, marking an important milestone in the formation of the biblical canon. Although some argue that Origen created a similar list earlier, it raises the question of whether early Christians lacked clarity regarding the New Testament's contents before the fourth century. The concept of canon, meaning a standard or rule for sacred texts, highlights the process through which certain writings were recognized as genuinely inspired by God. By examining the historical context, it's clear that even prior to the church councils, believers had distinct ideas about the authoritative texts, differentiating between canonical gospels and apocryphal writings like the Gospel of Thomas.