Deuterocanonical books not canonical; apocryphal
Lutheran theology, following Luther's own position, does not include the deuterocanonical books in the biblical canon. Luther distinguished between 'canonical' books (the 66 books of the Protestant canon) and 'apocryphal' books (including the deuterocanonical), which are valuable for edification but not of equal authority to the protocanonical books. Lutheran Bibles often include a separate apocrypha section if the deuterocanonical books are printed at all.
Luther's position was that only the books found in the Hebrew canon (39 Old Testament books) plus the 27 New Testament books are Scripture. The deuterocanonical books (Tobit, Wisdom, Sirach, Baruch, etc.) are not binding for doctrine but may be read for devotion.
Key Distinctions
- Canonical status:
- follows Hebrew canon for OT (39 books)
- Apocrypha status:
- valued as apocryphal but not Scripture
- Historical value:
Scripture References
Sources
- Luther's Preface to the Old Testament
- Lutheran Bible tradition
- Formula of Concord on Scripture