This post builds on the previous ones outlining a system for evaluating early Christian writings and an initial evaluation of the canon lists I will be reviewing. This post begins the first review of an actual canon list according to the system outlined: a review of the Marcionite prologues. As mentioned before, the Marcionite prologues are dated somewhere between 100-199 A.D., which gives a raw weight of 3.0 to a list. However, the Marcionite prologues show less interest in history than in whether a writing conforms to certain theological preconceptions, and accordingly has a lower weight than the base value for its date of origin. The adjusted weight for the Marcionite prologues is 1.50, which will be used as the multiplier in the final column below to determine each book's weighted score for this particular canon list.
* Ephesians: If F.F. Bruce's judgment is correct that what we know as Paul's letter to the Ephesians was, in this list, mistakenly identified as being to the Laodiceans. Anyone interested can re-run the evaluations in question with the appropriate score being moved from the letter to the Ephesians and placed instead on the letter to the Laodiceans.
A quick note on the list of books: the list here contains all of the books named on any of the five canon lists I am reviewing in this series, regardless of whether the mention is positive or negative. The order of the books is for the convenience of the reader: since the books are listed in different orders on the various lists, the books are listed here in common canonical order for the canonical books, followed by an alphabetical listing of the non-canonical books mentioned.
| Early Christian writing | Classification in current list | Raw score | List weighted score |
| Matthew | Not mentioned | 0 | 0 x 1.50 = 0.00 |
| Mark | Not mentioned | 0 | 0 x 1.50 = 0.00 |
| Luke | Accepted without reservation | 5 | 5 x 1.50 = 7.50 |
| John | Not mentioned | 0 | 0 x 1.50 = 0.00 |
| Acts | Not mentioned | 0 | 0 x 1.50 = 0.00 |
| Romans | Accepted without reservation | 5 | 5 x 1.50 = 7.50 |
| 1 Corinthians | Accepted without reservation | 5 | 5 x 1.50 = 7.50 |
| 2 Corinthians | Accepted without reservation | 5 | 5 x 1.50 = 7.50 |
| Galatians | Accepted without reservation | 5 | 5 x 1.50 = 7.50 |
| Ephesians* | Accepted without reservation | 5 | 5 x 1.50 = 7.50 |
| Philippians | Accepted without reservation | 5 | 5 x 1.50 = 7.50 |
| Colossians | Accepted without reservation | 5 | 5 x 1.50 = 7.50 |
| 1 Thessalonians | Accepted without reservation | 5 | 5 x 1.50 = 7.50 |
| 2 Thessalonians | Accepted without reservation | 5 | 5 x 1.50 = 7.50 |
| 1 Timothy | Not mentioned | 0 | 0 x 1.50 = 0.00 |
| 2 Timothy | Not mentioned | 0 | 0 x 1.50 = 0.00 |
| Titus | Not mentioned | 0 | 0 x 1.50 = 0.00 |
| Philemon | Accepted without reservation | 5 | 5 x 1.50 = 7.50 |
| Hebrews | Not mentioned | 0 | 0 x 1.50 = 0.00 |
| James | Not mentioned | 0 | 0 x 1.50 = 0.00 |
| 1 Peter | Not mentioned | 0 | 0 x 1.50 = 0.00 |
| 2 Peter | Not mentioned | 0 | 0 x 1.50 = 0.00 |
| Jude | Not mentioned | 0 | 0 x 1.50 = 0.00 |
| 1 John | Not mentioned | 0 | 0 x 1.50 = 0.00 |
| 2 John | Not mentioned | 0 | 0 x 1.50 = 0.00 |
| 3 John | Not mentioned | 0 | 0 x 1.50 = 0.00 |
| Revelation | Not mentioned | 0 | 0 x 1.50 = 0.00 |
| Acts of Paul | Not mentioned | 0 | 0 x 1.50 = 0.00 |
| Acts of Peter | Not mentioned | 0 | 0 x 1.50 = 0.00 |
| Apocalpyse of Peter | Not mentioned | 0 | 0 x 1.50 = 0.00 |
| Epistle of Barnabas | Not mentioned | 0 | 0 x 1.50 = 0.00 |
| Letter to the Alexandrines | Not mentioned | 0 | 0 x 1.50 = 0.00 |
| Letter to the Laodiceans* | Not mentioned | 0 | 0 x 1.50 = 0.00 |
| Shepherd of Hermas | Not mentioned | 0 | 0 x 1.50 = 0.00 |
| Teachings of the Apostles | Not mentioned | 0 | 0 x 1.50 = 0.00 |
* Ephesians: If F.F. Bruce's judgment is correct that what we know as Paul's letter to the Ephesians was, in this list, mistakenly identified as being to the Laodiceans. Anyone interested can re-run the evaluations in question with the appropriate score being moved from the letter to the Ephesians and placed instead on the letter to the Laodiceans.
A quick note on the list of books: the list here contains all of the books named on any of the five canon lists I am reviewing in this series, regardless of whether the mention is positive or negative. The order of the books is for the convenience of the reader: since the books are listed in different orders on the various lists, the books are listed here in common canonical order for the canonical books, followed by an alphabetical listing of the non-canonical books mentioned.
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