Shepherd of Hermas excluded from canon; post-apostolic Christian writing; not apostolic Scripture
The Universal Church of the Kingdom of God does not include the Shepherd of Hermas in its biblical canon. While this early Christian text (2nd century) is valuable for understanding post-apostolic Christianity, it is not Scripture. It lacks apostolic authority and was never universally recognized as canonical.
The UCKG's canon includes only the 66 books of the Protestant Bible (39 OT + 27 NT). The Shepherd of Hermas, though influential in early Christianity and containing some beneficial ethical teachings, is a post-apostolic work and therefore not authoritative Scripture.
The UCKG may acknowledge the historical and spiritual value of early Christian writings like the Shepherd of Hermas, but it maintains strict boundaries regarding what constitutes canonical Scripture. Only apostolic writings (or those directly from the apostolic period and universally recognized) qualify as Scripture.
Scripture References
Sources
- UCKG theological positions
- Evangelical Protestant theology