Can the Church Survive Without man's tradition?

[Bible Highlighter]

How do we know this?
Well, there is not a hint of any additional transmission that they had in the Bible.
Jesus and His followers always quoted Scripture and they never referred to some kind of oral teaching.

 

[bekkilyn]

I think the real question is, "Can Christianity survive without Christ?" While Christianity could certainly survive without the Bible or without tradition, there would be no Christianity at all without the *person* who is central to the faith.

 

[Hank77]

The word "tradition" can also simply mean "teaching." This is what the word could mean when it first appeared in the late 13th century according to Etymonline.com.

Tradition:

"from Old French tradicion "transmission, presentation, ..." (late 13c.)"​

Source:
tradition | Origin and meaning of tradition by Online Etymology Dictionary

Obviously a "presentation" is merely a "teaching."

2 Thessalonians 2:15 CEV says,
"My friends, this is why you must remain faithful and follow closely what we taught you in person and by our letters."

2 Thessalonians 3:6 NIV says,
"In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, we command you, brothers and sisters, to keep away from every believer who is idle and disruptive and does not live according to the teaching you received from us"

The Greek word in that scripture...
paradosis
par-ad'-os-is
From G3860; transmission, that is, (concretely) a precept;
paradidōmi
par-ad-id'-o-mee
From G3844 and G1325; to surrender, that is, yield up, intrust, transmit: -

 

[Ignatius the Kiwi]

By man's tradition what are we talking about? The ecclesiastical structure? The liturgical year? Certain practices and customs in and out of Church? Theological precedence? Leadership structures? Almost all of this isn't directly from the Bible and if we throw out everything that is considered 'man made' tradition no Church structure at any point could persist beyond a generation.

 

[TuxAme]

The Church would survive without kneeling before entering pews or genuflecting- but you aren't talking about little matters like this, are you?

 

[Swan7]

Of course the church can survive without the Bible. It's God we cannot live without... It's not the Bible that saves us, it is hearing the Word which is Jesus Christ Who saves. Did those who lived the OT times have a Bible? No, they were living out history so God could inspire writers to get His Word out. The Bible is not more important than God Himself. I've seen far too many who use the Bible as a weapon to further their own gain in the name of God/Jesus.
The Bible is His instruction to us of many things and He gave it freely to anyone. Anyone can read the Bible, but not everyone can understand God's Word silently spoken in those pages of black and white. This is so significant that we need God in our lives everyday and in everything.

 

[Tone]

By man's tradition what are we talking about? The ecclesiastical structure? The liturgical year? Certain practices and customs in and out of Church? Theological precedence? Leadership structures? Almost all of this isn't directly from the Bible and if we throw out everything that is considered 'man made' tradition no Church structure at any point could persist beyond a generation.

Any tradition that has its origins in the imagination of men/women.

 

[Tone]

The Church would survive without kneeling before entering pews or genuflecting- but you aren't talking about little matters like this, are you?

No. Let me ask you this...are there any man made traditions that the Church could not survive without--if so, what are they?

 

[Tone]

Of course the church can survive without the Bible. It's God we cannot live without... It's not the Bible that saves us, it is hearing the Word which is Jesus Christ Who saves. Did those who lived the OT times have a Bible? No, they were living out history so God could inspire writers to get His Word out. The Bible is not more important than God Himself. I've seen far too many who use the Bible as a weapon to further their own gain in the name of God/Jesus.
The Bible is His instruction to us of many things and He gave it freely to anyone. Anyone can read the Bible, but not everyone can understand God's Word silently spoken in those pages of black and white. This is so significant that we need God in our lives everyday and in everything.

What about the traditions (teachings) that we are mandated to carry out, such as evangelizing the world?

 

[Swan7]

What about the traditions (teachings) that we are mandated to carry out, such as evangelizing the world?

Then that is not man-made, but one of the things God wants from us from the very beginning.

 

[Gregory Thompson]

But that's the Bible. Not a man's tradition or a man's teaching.

Man's tradition of reading the bible tends to ignore that verse.

 

[Bible Highlighter]

Man's tradition of reading the bible tends to ignore that verse.

Indeed. This should help to weigh in favor of the Sola Scriptura position. In the last days perilous times will come. I believe we are in those last days.

 

[PaulCyp1]

Without man's tradition, certainly. But without the teaching of Jesus Christ, which is divine tradition, not possible.

 

[DamianWarS]

Just another way to look at it. It seems that those who believe that the Church can survive without the Bible, are the very same who couldn't live without their tradition...

this is a bit of a loaded question. all it does is pit those who are fundamentally sola scriptura against those who value tradition and scripture to which their answers will always be the same. I'm not a traditional faith-based believer but I know a strawman when I see one.

 

[Tone]

this is a bit of a loaded question. all it does is pit those who are fundamentally sola scriptura against those who value tradition and scripture to which their answers will always be the same. I'm not a traditional faith-based believer but I know a strawman when I see one.

My intentions are actually a little more nobler than that...

*If it is a straw man...hey, even a donkey was used once...I recall...

 

[Not David]

Just another way to look at it. It seems that those who believe that the Church can survive without the Bible, are the very same who couldn't live without their tradition...

Yeah, because we still preserve Divine traditions

 

[Bible Highlighter]

But are traditions really divine? Is there evidence that proves they are divine like the Bible?

 

[Bible Highlighter]

Also, ask if your motive is 100% pure in following traditions. Many times it is family that influences one to follow an Orthodox or Catholic Faith. For they are not known for evangelism. So it was not ever really something about seeking the truth but following a path laid out by your family because you love them. But Jesus essentially says we have to love Him more than our family.

 

[Gregory Thompson]

Indeed. This should help to weigh in favor of the Sola Scriptura position. In the last days perilous times will come. I believe we are in those last days.

I doubt it. The last days have been declared since the beginning of the new covenant by the apostles. The perilous times spoken of indicate people forbid marrying and forbid eating certain types of food. This kind of indicates in one way, dietary laws make a come back, and marriage of some sort is forbidden somehow.

Since this is something "the Holy Spirit expressly says" Solo scripture isn't recommended.

 

[Gregory Thompson]

I say you were clear in the title of this thread, asking if the church can survive without what you said are "man's" traditions. And I did not mean to say you consider Biblical things to be "man's" ways. You are quite clear



Except, maybe, Michael, you meant to write > "unspotted from the world" at the end of your verse quote. But I realize there are different wordings in different Bibles, including in mine

I just took the first copy paste from the internet.

I find it's just as easy to get spotted from the church nowadays anyway.