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Encyclopedia of Religion entry forCatholic EpistlesA name given from early times to certain of the New Testament Epistles, because they seemed to have been addressed to the whole (catholic) Church. The group originally was considered to include the First Epistle of John and the First Epistle of Peter. Afterwards it was extended (from the third century), and was made to comprise also the Epistles of James and Jude, the Second Epistle of Peter, and the Second and Third Epistles of John. These epistles were quite small books. They could easily be circulated. As Dr. C. R. Gregory says, James, the longest of the Epistles, would fill only about ten pages. To copy and distribute it widely will have been a simple matter. citations: Encyc. of Rel., Canney
article created 2006-04-12 , last updated 2006-04-12 |
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