Denies
Not canonical; early Christian writing but not Scripture
The Church of the Brethren does not recognize the Shepherd of Hermas as canonical Scripture. While the Brethren may value early Christian writings for their historical testimony to the faith of the early Church, they are not accepted as authoritative Scripture.
The Brethren affirm the sufficiency and completeness of the 66-book canon. The Shepherd of Hermas, being a 2nd-century writing without apostolic authorship, was rightly excluded from the New Testament. The Brethren's commitment to Scripture as authoritative does not extend to patristic writings, however early or respected.
Scripture References
Sources
- Church of the Brethren Statement of Faith
- Early Church canon decisions