The 7 books in question are commonly known as the Deuterocanonical or Apocryphal books, and they were removed from the Old Testament of the Protestant Bible during the Reformation in the 16th century.
The decision to remove these books was primarily made by Protestant reformers who objected to certain doctrines and practices within the Catholic Church. These reformers believed that the Catholic Church had added the Deuterocanonical books to the Bible as a way to support these doctrines and practices, and therefore they rejected them as scripture.
The Catholic Church, on the other hand, has always considered the Deuterocanonical books to be a part of the Old Testament. These books were included in the Septuagint, a Greek translation of the Hebrew Bible that was widely used by Jews and early Christians in the Hellenistic period.
The Council of Carthage in 397 AD, which was attended by Catholic bishops, confirmed the canon of the Old Testament that included the Deuterocanonical books. This canon was later reaffirmed by the Council of Trent in the 16th century, in response to the Protestant Reformation.
The Deuterocanonical books include Tobit, Judith, Wisdom of Solomon, Sirach (also known as Ecclesiasticus), Baruch, and 1 and 2 Maccabees. These books contain a variety of literary genres, including history, poetry, and wisdom literature. They also provide important insights into Jewish culture and religious practices during the Hellenistic period, as well as the development of certain theological concepts that would later become central to Christianity.
Although the Protestant Bible does not include these books in its Old Testament, they are still considered canonical by the Catholic and Orthodox churches. Many Protestant churches do include the Deuterocanonical books in their Bibles as apocryphal or deutero-canonical literature, although they are not considered to be part of the canon of scripture.
The removal of these books from the Protestant Bible has been a source of controversy and debate among Christians for centuries. Some argue that the decision to remove them was based on theological and historical inaccuracies, while others believe that their removal was motivated by political and cultural factors.
Despite the differences in opinion about the Deuterocanonical books, it is important to remember that the Bible remains a deeply significant and influential text for millions of people around the world. Its message of hope, redemption, and love continues to inspire and guide people of all faiths and backgrounds, and its wisdom and insight continue to shape our understanding of the world and our place in it.