in order to form a new testament canon of uniquely christian works, proto-orthodox christians went through a process that was complete in the west by the beginning of the 5th century. athanasius, bishop of alexandria, egypt, in his easter letter of 367, listed the same twenty-seven new testament books as found in the canon of trent. the first council that accepted the present canon of the new testament may have been the synod of hippo regius in north africa (393); the acts of this council, however, are lost. a brief summary of the acts was read at and accepted by the council of carthage (397) and the council of carthage (419).