Affirms
Sixty-six book Protestant canon; Scripture alone guides faith and practice
The ICOC affirms the 66-book Protestant biblical canon as the complete and authoritative Word of God. The New Testament provides the pattern for Christian life and church order; the Old Testament provides the historical and prophetic foundation. No human tradition, creed, or extracanonical writing holds binding authority.
The ICOC's Restoration-movement heritage means that 'Scripture alone' is the formal principle: all doctrine, worship practice, and church order must be authorized by the New Testament, either explicitly, by example, or by necessary implication.
Key Distinctions
- Ot canon:
- 39 books (Protestant canon)
- Deuterocanonical status:
- rejected
- Additional scripture:
- none
- Canon open:
- closed
Scripture References
Sources
- ICOC Statement of Belief
- Gordon Ferguson, Prepared to Answer (1995)