For anyone interested in understanding what Catholics/Orthodox mean by big-T Tradition, the wikipedia article is a good start:
Sacred tradition - Wikipedia
Also, the Catechism of the Catholic Church section on The Transmission of Divine Revelation is particularly detailed on the Catholic view. Well worth the read.
Catechism of the Catholic Church - PART 1 SECTION 1 CHAPTER 2 ARTICLE 2
Especially relevant excerpts:
In particular, it is important to note that Catholics and Orthodox do not hold to a belief that God's Word is limited to the Bible/scripture/the written word.
From this, we see why Catholics and Orthodox (and perhaps others) are always dismayed by this "where is that in the Bible" argumentation, since for us, God' Word is not limited to the Bible/scripture/the written word (indeed, nowhere in the Bible does it say such a thing anyway). And further, we certainly don't hold to a view that the ancient Creeds or Professions of Faith are mere "man-made" documents.
Sacred tradition - Wikipedia
Also, the Catechism of the Catholic Church section on The Transmission of Divine Revelation is particularly detailed on the Catholic view. Well worth the read.
Catechism of the Catholic Church - PART 1 SECTION 1 CHAPTER 2 ARTICLE 2
Especially relevant excerpts:
76 In keeping with the Lord's command, the Gospel was handed on in two ways:
- orally "by the apostles who handed on, by the spoken word of their preaching, by the example they gave, by the institutions they established, what they themselves had received - whether from the lips of Christ, from his way of life and his works, or whether they had learned it at the prompting of the Holy Spirit";33
- in writing "by those apostles and other men associated with the apostles who, under the inspiration of the same Holy Spirit, committed the message of salvation to writing".34
80 "Sacred Tradition and Sacred Scripture, then, are bound closely together, and communicate one with the other. For both of them, flowing out from the same divine well-spring, come together in some fashion to form one thing, and move towards the same goal."40 Each of them makes present and fruitful in the Church the mystery of Christ, who promised to remain with his own "always, to the close of the age".41
81 "Sacred Scripture is the speech of God as it is put down in writing under the breath of the Holy Spirit."42
"And [Holy] Tradition transmits in its entirety the Word of God which has been entrusted to the apostles by Christ the Lord and the Holy Spirit. It transmits it to the successors of the apostles so that, enlightened by the Spirit of truth, they may faithfully preserve, expound and spread it abroad by their preaching."43
82 As a result the Church, to whom the transmission and interpretation of Revelation is entrusted, "does not derive her certainty about all revealed truths from the holy Scriptures alone. Both Scripture and Tradition must be accepted and honored with equal sentiments of devotion and reverence."44
83 The Tradition here in question comes from the apostles and hands on what they received from Jesus' teaching and example and what they learned from the Holy Spirit. The first generation of Christians did not yet have a written New Testament, and the New Testament itself demonstrates the process of living Tradition.
Tradition is to be distinguished from the various theological, disciplinary, liturgical or devotional traditions, born in the local churches over time. These are the particular forms, adapted to different places and times, in which the great Tradition is expressed. In the light of Tradition, these traditions can be retained, modified or even abandoned under the guidance of the Church's Magisterium.
In particular, it is important to note that Catholics and Orthodox do not hold to a belief that God's Word is limited to the Bible/scripture/the written word.
From this, we see why Catholics and Orthodox (and perhaps others) are always dismayed by this "where is that in the Bible" argumentation, since for us, God' Word is not limited to the Bible/scripture/the written word (indeed, nowhere in the Bible does it say such a thing anyway). And further, we certainly don't hold to a view that the ancient Creeds or Professions of Faith are mere "man-made" documents.
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