Heresies, written c. 180. Proposals by scholars for the date of their composition have ranged from the 1st century to well into the second. The later dates are usually based on the hypothesis that the Pastorals are responding to specific 2nd-century developments, such as Marcionism and Gnosticism. Several scholars have argued that the pastoral epistles attack Marcionism in particular. If Marcion is taken to have started his ministry in earnest only after his excommunication from the Roman church in 144 CE, then this would suggest that the pastoral epistles were written after 144. Furthermore, the fact that Marcion's canon did not include the pastoral epistles is another piece of evidence for which any model must account. On the other hand, according to Raymond E. Brown (An Introduction to the New Testament, 1997), the majority of scholars who accept a post-Pauline date of composition for the Pastorals favour the period 80–100. Scholars supporting a date in this mid range can draw on the description in 2 Timothy 1:5 of Timothy's Christian mother and grandmother who passed on their faith, as alluding to the original audience being third generation Christians. See also Authorship of the Pauline epistles Notes External links Calvin, John (1556 [1-2 Tim]; 1549 [Titus]). Commentary on 1-2 Timothy and Titus. PastoralEpistles.com, an academic blog devoted to current research in the letters: Bumgardner, Charles (2016). "Paul's Letters to Timothy and Titus: A Literature Review (2009-2015)" Klinker-De Klerck, Myriam (2008). "The Pastoral Epistles: Authentic Pauline Writings" Early Christian Writings: 1 Timothy 2 Timothy Titus Pastoral Epistles: Christian anti-Gnosticism Pauline epistles Canonical epistles