Ethiopian Canon vs Catholic & Orthodox Canons
The Bible is a collection of sacred writings, but its contents vary across Christian traditions. While all Christians revere the same core Scriptures, differences in history, language, and theology have led to distinct biblical canons. The Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church uses an expansive canon of eighty‑one books. In contrast, the Roman Catholic Church recognizes seventy‑three books, and most Eastern Orthodox churches accept around seventy‑nine books in their Bibles. This article explains how these canons developed, highlights unique books in each, and shows what these differences reveal about the history of the early Church.
How Canon Formation Shaped the Bible
In the first centuries of Christianity, there was no single, authoritative list of sacred books. Early believers used the Hebrew Scriptures (Old Testament) and circulated Gospels, apostolic letters, and apocalyptic writings without universal agreement on which were inspired. As Christianity spread, certain writings gained widespread acceptance in worship and teaching, while others fell out of use. The process of canonization—formalizing which books belong in the Bible—took centuries. Church leaders weighed factors such as apostolic origin, doctrinal soundness, and liturgical use. By the fourth century, the twenty‑seven books of the New Testament were largely settled, but there was still debate over the Old Testament.
The Catholic Canon: 73 Books
The Catholic Bible contains seventy‑three books—forty‑six in the Old Testament and twenty‑seven in the New Testament. Catholics include the standard Hebrew books plus seven deuterocanonical books that Protestants omit. These additional writings were preserved in the Greek Septuagint (LXX) and affirmed by church tradition:
Tobit
Judith
Baruch (with the Letter of Jeremiah)
Sirach (Ecclesiasticus)
Wisdom of Solomon
1 Maccabees
2 Maccabees
Catholics also accept additions to Esther and Daniel (the Prayer of Azariah and the Song of the Three Youths, Susanna, and Bel and the Dragon). The Council of Trent (1546) formally affirmed the Catholic canon, responding to the Reformation’s challenges by confirming these books as inspired.
Why the Catholic Canon Differs
Early Christians often used the Greek Septuagint, which contained writings not found in the later Hebrew Masoretic Text. When Protestant reformers adopted the Hebrew canon, they moved these deuterocanonical books into an “Apocrypha” section or excluded them altogether. Catholics retained them, citing their use in early liturgy and their affirmation at church councils. Thus, the Catholic canon stands between the smaller Protestant canon and the broader canons of Eastern churches.
The Orthodox Canons: 79–80 Books
Eastern Orthodox churches share the same twenty‑seven New Testament books as Catholics and Protestants, but their Old Testament is slightly larger. Most Orthodox canons include the Catholic deuterocanon plus additional texts:
1 Esdras and 2 Esdras (often called 3 & 4 Ezra)
Prayer of Manasseh (appended to Chronicles)
Psalm 151
3 Maccabees and 4 Maccabees
Sometimes the Odes (a collection of Old Testament prayers and hymns)
These books were part of the Septuagint tradition and were read in some early churches. The Orthodox canon, however, is not uniform. Different jurisdictions may treat these texts as fully canonical, deuterocanonical, or anagignoskomena (“worthy to be read”) for liturgical use. The lack of a single governing council means that canonical boundaries are more fluid in Orthodoxy compared to Catholicism.
Understanding the Orthodox Perspective
For many Orthodox Christians, the term “canon” describes books appropriate for public reading in worship, rather than an exact list of inspired texts. This flexibility reflects a respect for diverse local traditions and underscores that the New Testament canon is common, while the Old Testament remains less defined. Overall, the Orthodox canon includes everything in the Catholic canon plus a handful of additional writings.
The Ethiopian Canon: 81 Books
The Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church preserves one of the widest biblical canons. Its Old Testament comprises the entire Hebrew protocanon, the Catholic deuterocanon, and several texts unknown or lost elsewhere. Unique Ethiopian Old Testament books include:
1 Enoch – a Jewish apocalyptic work cited in the New Testament.
Jubilees – retells Genesis and Exodus with an emphasis on calendrical cycles.
1–3 Meqabyan (Maqabyan or Meqabeean) – native Ethiopian narratives unrelated to the Greek Maccabees.
4 Baruch (Paralipomena of Jeremiah) – stories about Jeremiah’s scribe Baruch.
3 Ezra and 4 Ezra – expansions of the Book of Ezra.
The Ethiopian New Testament has thirty‑five books. Beyond the standard twenty‑seven, Ethiopian Christians include a broader canon of Church order writings, such as:
Sinodos (collections of ecclesiastical canons, four books)
Books of the Covenant (liturgical and disciplinary guidance, two books)
Ethiopic Clement (not to be confused with the letters of Clement used in other traditions)
Didascalia (a church manual)
Josippon (a historical text)
These additional writings provide ethical instructions and details of church governance. They reflect the Ethiopian Church’s view that Scripture and tradition are intertwined and that apostolic teachings extend beyond the twenty‑seven‑book New Testament.
Why Is the Ethiopian Canon So Broad?
Ethiopia adopted Christianity in the fourth century and developed its canon through translations from Greek and Syriac. Local scribes translated many Jewish and early Christian works, and Ethiopian Christians never strictly separated “canonical” and “non‑canonical” texts. Works like Enoch and Jubilees were considered inspired and were read alongside other Scriptures. The inclusion of Meqabyan books reflects Ethiopia’s own storytelling tradition and a desire to anchor biblical themes in local history. The additional Church order books reveal an emphasis on guiding the community’s life as part of biblical revelation.
Comparing the Canons
Here is a high‑level comparison of the Ethiopian, Catholic, and Orthodox biblical canons:
Number of Books:
Ethiopian: 81 (46 Old Testament + 35 New Testament)
Catholic: 73 (46 Old Testament + 27 New Testament)
Orthodox: About 79–80 (52 Old Testament + 27 New Testament; varies by tradition)
Shared Core: All three traditions accept the Hebrew protocanon (the books recognized by Jewish tradition) and the twenty‑seven books of the New Testament.
Deuterocanonical Books: Catholics and Orthodox include Tobit, Judith, 1–2 Maccabees, Wisdom of Solomon, Sirach, and Baruch with the Letter of Jeremiah; Protestants do not.
Additional Orthodox Books: Many Orthodox canons add 1 Esdras, 2 Esdras, the Prayer of Manasseh, Psalm 151, and 3 & 4 Maccabees.
Unique Ethiopian Books: Ethiopian Old Testament includes Enoch, Jubilees, 1–3 Meqabyan, 4 Baruch, and expanded Ezra materials. Its New Testament adds ecclesiastical works like Sinodos, Books of the Covenant, Ethiopic Clement, Didascalia, and Josippon.
Why These Differences Matter
The variation among biblical canons illustrates how geography, language, and theological priorities influenced early Christianity. Western churches, eventually codified by Rome, adopted a canon based on the Septuagint but refined by later councils. Eastern Orthodox churches maintained a larger Septuagint canon, with room for local practice and liturgical reading. Ethiopian Christians, operating at the crossroads of African, Jewish, and Middle Eastern cultures, preserved a canon that includes ancient Jewish apocalypses, local narratives, and church manuals.
Understanding these differences helps us appreciate the richness of Christian tradition. It reminds us that the process of canonization was gradual and diverse, not a single act. While all Christians share the same New Testament and most of the Old Testament, the Ethiopian canon reveals a broader ancient library, and the Orthodox canon reflects a living liturgical tradition. Studying these canons can deepen our knowledge of early Judaism and Christianity, show how communities discerned God’s word, and encourage respect for the variety within the global Church.
Comparing the Ethiopian, Catholic, and Orthodox canons demonstrates that the Bible is more than a single book; it is a collection shaped by centuries of translation, tradition, and theological reflection. The Catholic canon emphasizes writings preserved in the Greek Septuagint and affirmed by councils. The Orthodox canon retains even more of the Septuagint tradition and reflects a flexible approach to liturgical Scripture. The Ethiopian canon stands as the most expansive, preserving works like 1 Enoch and Jubilees and adding Church order books that guide community life. Together, these canons offer a fuller picture of early Christian diversity and remind readers that Scripture and tradition have always been intertwined in shaping faith.
