The biblical canon was established through a single council vote that officially imposed authority on the selected writings.

### Why this is right The handbook rejects the idea that canon formation was a single up-or-down vote or that authority was simply imposed on the books. It describes a process of recognizing books that had risen to authoritative status. ### The concept Canon means measuring stick and refers to the authoritative list of biblical books. Recognition involved historical considerations and, for New Testament books, apostolic connection. This account distinguishes recognition of authority from creating authority by decree. ### The other options - **True**: This contradicts the handbook’s description of canon formation as a process occurring over several centuries.