The Problem: By the 300s, legendary stories—like the “Gospel of Thomas”—were appearing centuries after the Apostles, causing confusion about which texts were authentic.

The Solution: In 397 AD, the Council of Carthage—alongside Rome and Hippo—officially confirmed the 27 books of the New Testament we read today.

The Key Figure: St. Augustine, a titan of the faith, studied in Carthage and was instrumental in these councils as the Bishop of nearby Hippo.

The Criteria: To be included, a book had to be:

• Tied to an eye-witness (an Apostle).
• Written within 50–100 years of Christ’s birth.
• Used consistently by the early churches.

SOURCES & RESEARCH

• Codex Vaticanus: A 4th-century biblical manuscript—dating to the same era as the Council of Carthage—that remains one of the most important witnesses to the Greek text.

• St. Augustine’s Confessions: Provides a direct historical account of his life and the intellectual environment of Carthage in the late 4th century.

• The Muratorian Fragment: Dated to approximately 170 AD, this list proves that the Church had a core consensus on the New Testament books long before the councils officially closed the canon.



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