The so-called Decretum Gelasianum or Gelasian Decree was traditionally attributed to the prolific Pope Gelasius I, bishop of Rome 492 – 496. In surviving manuscripts the Decretal exists on its own and also appended to a list of books of Scripture titled as attested as canonical by a council at Rome under Pope Damasus I, bishop of Rome 366 – 383. Since that list contains a quotation from Augustine, writing about 416, it is evident that the title Incipit Concilium Vrbis Romae sub Damaso Papa de Explanatione Fidei, the so-called Damasine List, are of no historical value [1]. It is requested that an image(s) should be included, to improve the articles quality. ... Decretals (Epistolae decretales) is the name that is given in Canon Law to those letters of the pope which formulate decisions in ecclesiastical law. ... Damasus I ( 305-383) was pope from 366 to 383. ... St. ...

The Decretal include a list of works adjudged apocryphal "by Pope Gelasius and seventy most erudite bishops." Though the ascriptions are generally agreed to be apocryphal themselves, except among the most traditional of apologists, perhaps reflecting the seventy translators of the Septuagint and the seventy apostles sent out in Luke, this list de libris recipiendis et non recipiendis ("of books to be admitted and not to be admitted"), probably originating in the 6th century, represents a tradition that can be traced back to Pope Damasus I and reflects Roman practice in the development of the Biblical canon. In the list of gospels, the order is given as Matthew, Mark, Luke, John. Fourteen epistles are credited to Paul including Philemon and Hebrews. Of the Pastoral Epistles seven are accepted: two of Peter, one of James one of the apostle John, two of "the other John the elder" (presbyter), and one of "Judas the Zealot" [2]. It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with Deuterocanonical books. ... The Septuagint (LXX) is the name commonly given in the West to the Greek translation of the Hebrew Bible (Old Testament) produced in the third century BC. The Septuagint Bible includes additional books beyond those used in todays Jewish Tanakh. ... Damasus I ( 305-383) was pope from 366 to 383. ... The Biblical canon is an exclusive list of books written during the formative period of the Jewish or Christian faiths; the leaders of these communities believed these books to be inspired by God or to express the authoritative history of the relationship between God and his people (although there may... The three Pastoral Epistles are books of the canonic New Testament: the First Epistle to Timothy (1 Timothy) the Second Epistle to Timothy (2 Timothy), and the Epistle to Titus. ... The shadowy figure of John the presbyter (John the Elder) formed a link in the chain of Early Christian oral tradition that Papias of Hierapolis recorded in the early 2nd century, in five volumes called Exposition of the Sayings of the Lord (Greek — Kyriakôn logiôn exêgêsis... Jude or Judas (יהודה Praise, Standard Hebrew Yəhuda, Tiberian Hebrew Yəhûḏāh) was the name of several people in the New Testament. ...

The Decretum is in several parts: the second part is a canon catalogue, and the fifth part is a catalogue of the 'apocrypha' and other writings which are to be rejected. The canon catalogue gives all 27 books of the New Testament. (Parts 1, 3, and 4 are not relevant to the canon.) It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with Deuterocanonical books. ...

External links

• The Development of the Canon": Decretum Gelasianum gives the full list, including the apocrypha "which are to be avoided by catholics."
• Decretum Gelasianum: all parts (in Latin)
• Decretum Gelasianum: (in English)
• F.C. Burkitt, review of Ernst von Dobschütz, Das Decretum Gelasianum de libris recipiendis et non recipiendis in kritischem Text Leipzig, 1912: in Journal of Theological Studies 14 (1913) pp. 469 - 471