Catholic Word of the Day: SHEPHERD OF HERMAS, 12-20-12

CatholicReference.net ^ | 12-20-12 | Fr. John Hardon's Modern Catholic Dictionary

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SHEPHERD OF HERMAS

An ethical treatise of the mid-second century. It is a work of major historical importance, preaching penance and consisting of five visions, twelve mandates, and two parables. It witnesses to the high moral principles of the early Church. The authorship has been attributed to Hermas, mentioned by St. Paul in his letter to the Romans (16:14), but it was more likely written by a brother of Pope St. Pius I.

All items in this dictionary are from Fr. John Hardon's Modern Catholic Dictionary, © Eternal Life. Used with permission.

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Second Century?

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[Ruy Dias de Bivar]

It is an interesting book that allows a person to have ONE SIN after they have been baptized. It is also found in several of the oldest Greek bibles known.

It is best classified as a pious fiction. Not even Biblical.

You can find a copy in THE LOST BOOKS OF THE BIBLE along with other fabrications.

[Mrs. Don-o]

True; as far as I know, it was never considered canonical (except by Irenaeus??). Though it was sometimes "packaged" with the canonical books of the Bible as a kind of appendix of devotional literature, it was clearly not written by an author of the Apostolic decades, and therefore could not have been authoritatively inspired as a Biblical book.

It seems to be rather rigorist in morality, while at the same time kind of confused in Christology. At this point I will stop beause I don't know much about it.