History of Kanauj to the Moslem Conquest c2: Foreword
History of Kanauj to the Moslem Conquest c2
- Language
- English
Foreword
c2.1
It gives me exceeding pleasure to see at last in print Dr. Tripathi’s admirable history of his native land.
c2.2
*Magna parens frugum, magna virum*, the realm of Kānyakubja is a land of old and high renown, and from the spacious days of the great Harṣavardhana onwards for many centuries it held a dominant position in Northern India. Nature favoured it, and indeed made its success almost inevitable as soon as strong and wise rulers ascended its throne. Lying in the centre of the Gangetic Valley, it held vital control over the trade-routes on all sides, and especially those reaching eastward into Bengal and westward into the Panjab; and to this fact, no less than to the personal feuds and ambitions of their kings, may be ascribed the fierce antagonism which prevailed between Kanauj and Bengal from the time of Śaśāṅka until almost to the end of Hindu rule in Northern India. Thus in its splendours and tragedies alike the history of Kanauj is intensely Indian and profoundly fascinating; and the tale is well told in the pages which follow.
c2.3
L. D. BARNETT
c2.4
The first of these, the *Gospel of the Hebrews*, was used by the Jewish Christians of Palestine, and was probably a version of the Gospel of Matthew, though it contained some traditions not found in our canonical books. The *Gospel of the Egyptians* was used by the ascetic sects of Egypt, and was marked by a strong tendency towards mysticism and asceticism. The *Gospel of Peter* was used by the Docetists, and taught that Christ did not really suffer, but only appeared to do so.
c2.5
These gospels, and others like them, were not accepted by the Church as a whole, and were gradually lost or suppressed. The Church, however, felt the need for a standard collection of writings that would serve as a guide for faith and practice. This led to the formation of the New Testament canon, a process that took several centuries to complete.
c2.6
The first step in this process was the collection of the letters of Paul, which were widely circulated among the churches. Then came the four Gospels, which were accepted as the authoritative accounts of the life and teachings of Jesus. The Acts of the Apostles and the other epistles were gradually added, and finally the Book of Revelation.
c2.7
By the end of the second century, the core of the New Testament was generally accepted by the Church. The process of canonization was not a formal act of a council, but rather a gradual recognition by the churches of the writings that were most valuable for their life and worship. It was only in the fourth century that the canon was formally closed by the councils of the Church.
c2.8
The formation of the New Testament canon was a crucial event in the history of the Church. It provided a standard of faith and practice that helped to unify the Church and to protect it from the influence of heretical sects. It also ensured that the teachings of Jesus and the apostles would be preserved for future generations.