Summary: The Catechism in a Year (with Fr. Mike Schmitz)

Episode: Day 17 - The Canon of Scripture (January 17, 2026)

Main Theme & Purpose

In this episode, Fr. Mike Schmitz explores the “canon of Scripture”—the divinely inspired list of books that make up the Bible—focusing on both the Old and New Testaments. He explains how the Church discerned the canon, discusses the enduring value of the Old Testament (and the heresy of rejecting it), unpacks the unique place of the Gospels, and clarifies the three stages of Gospel formation. With engaging insights and references to Church history and saints, Fr. Mike helps listeners understand the foundations of the Catholic Faith rooted in Sacred Scripture and Sacred Tradition.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Introduction to the Episode and Scope

• Fr. Mike highlights the episode’s focus:
  • The canon of Scripture—what it is, how the Church recognizes it, and why both the Old and New Testaments are indispensable.
  • The three stages in the formation of the Gospels.
    ([01:30])

“Today what we're going to look at is the canon of Scripture... and the ways in which we need both the Old Testament and the New Testament.” — Fr. Mike

2. What Is the Canon?

• The canon is the complete, inspired list of biblical books.
• The Church, by apostolic tradition, discerned and defined which books belong.
  • 46 books in the Old Testament (45 if Jeremiah and Lamentations are counted as one), 27 in the New.
• Fr. Mike reads aloud the full list of books ([03:10–04:40]).

3. The Old Testament: Permanence, Value & Heresy of Rejection

• The Old Testament is divinely inspired and permanently valuable; “the Old Covenant has never been revoked” ([05:00–06:00]).
• The Church has always opposed the idea that the Old Testament is rendered void by the New, especially the heresy called Marcionism.
  • Marcionism claimed the Old Testament was null and void after Christ—a heresy rejected by the Church ([09:30]).

“The Church has always vigorously opposed the idea of rejecting the Old Testament under the pretext that the New has rendered it void, as in Marcionism.”
— Fr. Mike, reading the Catechism [06:00]

• The Old Testament is a “storehouse of sublime teaching” and “sound wisdom,” containing both timeless and provisional (for a time) rules.

“God has to reveal that, no, I am good. I'm just, I'm true, I love you. But he has to start someplace... God’s divine pedagogy.” — Fr. Mike [11:30]

• Some Old Testament practices are provisional (e.g., temple purity laws to prepare for worship in the New Covenant), while core teachings like the Ten Commandments are permanent ([12:00]).

4. The New Testament & The Gospels: Heart of Scripture

• The New Testament reveals the ultimate truth of God’s revelation; its focus is Jesus Christ—his acts, teachings, Passion, glorification, and the beginnings of his Church ([13:10]).
• The Gospels are the “heart of all the Scriptures” ([13:40]).
• Three stages in the Gospels’ formation ([14:10]):
  1. Life and teaching of Jesus.
  2. Oral tradition by the Apostles.
  3. Written Gospels by sacred authors, “telling us the honest truth about Jesus.”

“The Gospels are at the heart of all of our lives. They should be...” — Fr. Mike

5. Sacred Tradition Precedes Scripture

• The Church established the canon—it did not appear “out of nowhere.”
  • The canon was formally codified only in the late 4th century (Council of Rome, 382 AD; Hippo, 393; Carthage, 397), then reaffirmed later ([07:55 and 16:20]).
  • The Council of Trent (1546) solemnly and definitively defined the canon in response to challenges from Reformers like Martin Luther ([08:55]).

“Sacred Tradition is what gives us Sacred Scripture, and that is so remarkable.” — Fr. Mike [08:10]

6. Personal Invitation & Prayerful Reading

• Saints have kept the Gospels close—some carried the books and read them in moments of downtime.
• Fr. Mike suggests having Scripture accessible (even in digital form) to make the Gospels part of daily life ([15:30–16:30]).

“Wouldn’t it be great if on our device we had the Word of God… Maybe an app that we could just open up and read the readings of the day?” — Fr. Mike

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Scripture’s Canon and Tradition:

“The books of the Scriptures... have been established by the Church, given to us from the very beginning... The Church precedes the written word. The oral tradition precedes the written tradition.” — Fr. Mike ([07:40])

• On Marcionism and the Old Testament’s Value:

“The Church has always vigorously opposed the idea of rejecting the Old Testament under the pretext that the New has rendered it void, as in Marcionism.” — Fr. Mike ([09:30], quoting Catechism 123)

• On Divine Pedagogy:

“God takes a raw people... and God has to reveal that, ‘I am good. I’m just, I’m true, I love you.’ But He has to start someplace… these are provisional things… just for a time, for a place, and for a season.” — Fr. Mike ([11:30])

• On the Gospels as Heart of Scripture:

“The Gospels are the heart of all the Scriptures because they are our principal source for the life and teaching of the Incarnate Word, our Savior.” — Fr. Mike, quoting Catechism ([13:40])

• Wisdom of the Saints:
  • St. Caesarea the Younger:

    “There is no doctrine which could be better, more precious, and more splendid than the text of the Gospel.” ([14:50])

  • St. Thérèse of Lisieux:

    “But above all, it’s the Gospels that occupy my mind when I’m at prayer… I’m always finding fresh lights there, hidden and enthralling meanings.” ([15:00])

Important Timestamps for Key Segments

• [01:30] – Episode focus: canon of Scripture, Old Testament, New Testament, Gospels.
• [03:10–04:40] – Complete reading of the biblical canon.
• [06:00] – The Old Testament’s permanent value; rejection is heresy.
• [07:40] – Tradition gives us the canon; the Church precedes the Bible.
• [08:55] – History of canon definition; Councils of Rome, Hippo, Carthage, Trent.
• [09:30] – Heresy of Marcionism; Church’s rejection.
• [12:00] – Provisional vs. constant Old Testament teachings.
• [14:10] – The three stages of Gospel formation.
• [14:50–15:00] – Quotes from St. Caesarea the Younger and St. Thérèse of Lisieux.
• [15:30] – Saints and the practice of carrying the Gospels.

Episode Tone

Warm, encouraging, and instructive; Fr. Mike blends catechetical clarity with personal encouragement, historical references, and practical invitations—rooted in the life of the Church and the wisdom of the saints.

Takeaways for the Listener

• The Bible’s canon is rooted in apostolic tradition and settled by the living Church.
• The Old Testament is forever valuable, not replaced or voided by the New.
• The Gospels occupy a unique and central role for Christians; immersing oneself in them is transformative.
• Faithful Catholics are inheritors of both Sacred Scripture and Sacred Tradition—one can’t be separated from the other.
• Carrying the Word of God into daily life, through whatever medium, follows the pattern of the saints.

“I am so, so proud of you for getting through to this place. We're gonna... keep picking up speed, keep moving forward. I am praying for you. Please pray for me. My name is Fr. Mike. I cannot wait to see you tomorrow. God bless.”
— Fr. Mike Schmitz ([16:50])