Table of Contents
- The history of Christianity
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The most important creation of church tradition is that of the Holy Scriptures themselves and, secondarily, their exegesis (critical interpretations and explanations). Exegesis first appeared in Christian circles among gnostics and the church catechists (teachers)—e.g., in the Christian school systems, such as in Alexandria and Antioch. Gnostics and other groups that were regarded by mainstream Christians as heretics could not claim the unbroken apostolic tradition maintained by the orthodox Christian churches. They therefore had an interest in claiming the tradition to justify their own movements. Exegesis was directly related to the development of a normative scriptural canon in the orthodox ...(100 of 123588 words)