3123: Canon

2025-08-02T11:59:56Z

2A02:8071:5C21:B980:91C3:4600:8ADC:9605: added one example of a multi-century theoogical dispute

{{comic
| number = 3123
| date = August 1, 2025
| title = Canon
| image = canon_2x.png
| imagesize = 299x408px
| noexpand = true
| titletext = Achilles was a mighty warrior, but his Achilles’ heel was his heel.
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete|This page was created by a potato cannon. Don't remove this notice too soon.}}

The term ''{{W|Biblical canon|canon}}'' was originally devised to refer to the books of the Bible which are generally accepted as being actually part of the Bible, instead of {{w|apocrypha}}, Christian works that, while edifying and perhaps ancient, aren't considered part of the Bible. It subsequently was adapted to refer to the {{w|Sherlock Holmes}} stories which were written by {{w|Arthur Conan Doyle}}, as opposed to the adaptations into other formats (stage plays, films, etc.) and non-Doyle stories. An early example of this connection was in a 1910 satirical essay by the Catholic scholar Ronald A. Knox, ''Studies in the Literature of Sherlock Holmes''.

From there, it took on its modern, even broader meaning for fiction in general: the material widely accepted as created by the recognized author(s). For instance, ''{{w|Star Wars}}'' canon comprises the films and some TV shows made by {{w|Lucasfilm}} (and {{w|Disney}} after its buyout of Lucasfilm), but that canon is supplemented by a large amount of non-canonical {{w|Star Wars in other media|''Star Wars'' content in other media}} such as books, video games, comic books, fan fiction, etc.

Here, Cueball is using the modern meaning to describe a theological dispute from the 18th century when ''canon'' had only its original, Biblical meaning. There are many examples of fierce theological disputes that were recorded in pamphlets and books throughout the 16th to 19th century, for example just regarding the correct mode of baptism: {{w|File:The Summe of a conference at Terling in Essex, Januarie 11, 1643 - held between 3 ministers ... opponents pleading for infants baptisme, and 2 catabaptists ... respondents denying .. (IA summeofconferenc00stal).pdf|1644 (683 pages)}}, {{w|File:A defence of infant-baptism in answer to two treatises, and an Appendix to them concerning it, lately published by Mr. Jo. Tombes - wherein that controversie is fully discussed ... (IA defenceofinfantb00mars).pdf|1646 (342 pages)}}, {{w|File:A discourse proving the divine institution of water-baptism - wherein the Quaker-arguments against it are collected and confuted with as much as is needful concerning the Lord's supper (IA discourseproving00lesl).pdf|1697 (150 pages)}}, {{w|File:An essay on infant baptism (microform) - in which the right of infants to the sacrament of baptism, is proved from Scripture, vindicated from the usual objections (IA cihm 89861).pdf|1768 (219 pages)}}, {{w|File:Modern immersion not Scripture baptism (IA modernimmersionn00thorrich).pdf|1831 (400 pages)}}, {{w|File:The heavenly father's teaching (microform) - a pedo-Baptist's reply to immersionists shewing that Baptism is not immersion, and that immersion is not Baptism, for they are direct opposites (IA cihm 08315).pdf|1874 (107 pages)}} - examples selected from hundreds of similar books.

Similarly the word "fandom" comes from the word "fan" (+ '-dom', as in a class of people), which is the shorter form of "fanatic". Fanatic's etymology, in turn, points to the latin word "fanaticus" meaning 'of a temple, inspired by a god'. (The latin word "fanum" means 'temple'.)

An ''Achilles’ heel'' is the weak point of something or someone who is otherwise very strong. It derives from the legend of the great Greek warrior {{w|Achilles}}, who as a baby was dipped into the river {{w|Styx}} by {{w|Thetis|his mother}} to make him invulnerable everywhere on his body that the water touched. However, during the dipping, his mother held him by the heel, which was thus vulnerable because it didn't enter the river, and in fact Achilles later died after he was shot in that heel with an arrow. The joke again is the self-reference.

==Transcript==
:[Cueball talks to White Hat while reading a book. Both are standing.]
:Cueball: It's so weird reading these 18th century scholars argue about minor biblical details. It's like they're an online fandom or something - they've developed this whole elaborate canon.
:[Caption below the panel]
:It's fun when a word's usage goes full circle and, by analogy, lands back on its original meaning.

{{comic discussion}}

[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]
[[Category:Comics featuring White Hat]]
[[Category:Language]]

explain xkcd - User contributions [en]

3123: Canon