The Church of God (Anderson) does not accept the Shepherd of Hermas as canonical Scripture. This 2nd-century work, of uncertain authorship (traditionally attributed to Hermas, mentioned in Romans 16:14), is not part of the church's authoritative biblical canon. While the Shepherd has historical interest as an early Christian document and was valued by some patristic writers, it was never universally accepted as Scripture and its apostolic authority is questionable.

The Church of God (Anderson)'s commitment to biblical authority means that only texts with solid apostolic lineage and universal or near-universal ecclesiastical reception should be treated as canonical. The Shepherd of Hermas fails both criteria: it is post-apostolic in origin and was never universally recognized by the early church. The Church of God (Anderson) maintains the 27-book New Testament canon and does not expand it to include apocryphal or disputed texts. While the Shepherd may be studied as part of early Christian literature and patristic history, it does not carry the authority of Scripture for doctrine and practice.