“So, then why didn’t the Church add the writings of +Symneon the New Theologian and others to the canon of scripture?”
Because they weren’t writing scripture, they were writing “commentaries” and “instruction manuals”, though I suppose the same could be said for +Paul.
I honestly believe that The Church is quite clear that both scripture and the writings of the Fathers, to the extent they are in the consensus patrum, are inspired by God. What makes NT scripture “scripture” is likely the Apostolic quality, though that raises questions then of why +Paul and not +Ignatius of Antioch or +Clement of Rome, both of whose letters were read for at least a couple of centuries during the Liturgy (the Shepherd too for that matter). Perhaps the distinction is that the canon of the NT and that of the OT read in light of the NT provides literally everything we need for theosis, with the writings of the others, however inspired, merely providing a gloss.
I do know that the Greek Church is very cautious of anything that smacks of a Mohammedan attitude towards the Bible, Bibliolatry, so to speak. The canons of both the NT and the OT are creations of The Church. I don’t think that can be repeated too much, especially nowadays.
The Church as a whole, yes (i.e. pronuncements of Ecumenical Councils). However, the Divine Liturgy doe snot contain readings of the Apostolic, let alone Church Fathers, except that they are mentioned in or as homilies/commentaries.
You yourself know that the Church does not treat anything but the Gospels as Scripture per se and that only the Gospels sit on the altar. The rest of the scriputres (OT, Epistles) are located elswhere. And during the reaidng fo St. Paul's Letters, the congregration sits (if there are pews), and the espistles are read by laity. This is in stark contrast to the priest only reading of the Gospels and the entire congregation standing (just as in the synagoues visavis Torah and the rest of the Tanakh).
There are degrees of inspiration and they represent degrees of revelation. The NT and the OT must be interpreted through the lens of the Gospels in their fullness, and this includes the Ecumenical Councils and the commentaries of the Fathers; they all must conform to the living word of Christ. Not all "inspired" text is treated equally.
Well then God must be confused because the writings of the Fathers are often contradictory.