Deuterocanonical books canonical; part of full biblical canon
The Maronite Catholic Church, in union with Rome, affirms the deuterocanonical books as part of the biblical canon. The Council of Trent (1546) officially affirmed the full Catholic biblical canon, including Tobit, Wisdom, Sirach (Ecclesiasticus), Baruch, additions to Daniel (Prayer of Azariah, Song of the Three Young Men, Susanna, Bel and the Dragon), additions to Esther, and 1-2 Maccabees. These books are received as Scripture and are used in Maronite liturgy and catechesis.
In Maronite tradition, rooted in the Syriac fathers, the extended biblical canon has been the norm. The deuterocanonical books are not distinguished from the protocanonical as 'lesser' Scripture but are fully canonical and authoritative for doctrine and practice.
Key Distinctions
- Canonical status:
- affirmed as canonical at Council of Trent
- Apocrypha status:
- integral to Maronite liturgy and catechesis
- Historical value:
Scripture References
Sources
- Council of Trent, Session 4, decree on canon (1546)
- Maronite liturgical tradition
- Catholic Catechism, section 120