Broadest Christian canon: 81 books including 1 Enoch, Jubilees, and others
The Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church uses the broadest biblical canon of any mainstream Christian tradition. The Narrow Canon (Tsena Kanonaat) consists of 81 books, including all books found in the Catholic and Eastern Orthodox canons, plus additional texts considered canonical only in Ethiopia: 1 Enoch (Henok), the Book of Jubilees (Kufale), 1, 2, and 3 Meqabyan (distinct from 1–4 Maccabees), 4 Ezra (in addition to Ezra-Nehemiah), Josippon, the Rest of the Words of Baruch (4 Baruch), and others. Some traditions speak of a Broad Canon extending further.
The inclusion of 1 Enoch is particularly notable: Jude 14 quotes from this book directly, and its presence in the Ethiopian canon has been a subject of scholarly interest. The Book of Jubilees has shaped Ethiopian liturgical and theological practice, reinforcing the observance of the Sabbath and various Old Testament practices. The Ethiopian Bible was translated into Ge'ez from Greek and Syriac over many centuries, beginning in the 5th–6th century through the work of the Nine Saints.
Key Distinctions
- Ot canon:
- 81 books — broadest Christian canon; includes 1 Enoch, Book of Jubilees, 1-3 Meqabyan
- Deuterocanonical status:
- canonical; unique Ethiopian deuterocanonical texts fully authoritative
- Additional scripture:
- none
- Canon open:
- closed
Scripture References
- Jude 14 (quoting 1 Enoch 1:9)
- 1 Enoch 1:9
Sources
- Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church, Constitution (2003)
- Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church, Canons and Regulations
- Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church, Haimanote Abew