From scripture:
2 Thes. 2:15 Therefore, brethren, stand fast, and hold the traditions which ye have been taught, whether by word, or our epistle.
Around GT, the often asked and never answered question is TO WHAT ORAL or WRITTEN TRADITIONS IS PAUL REFERRING?
We know it was traditions extant at the time of Paul and not later ones.
We know the statement was never intended as some blank check for unscrupulous men to take advantage, introducing heresy and schism.
As such, to what traditions was Paul referring? Here is an answer to the question about 150 years later from Irenaeus (bolding mine).
2. To which course many nations of those barbarians who believe in Christ do assent, having salvation written in their hearts by the Spirit, without paper or ink, and, carefully preserving the ancient tradition, believing in one God, the Creator of heaven and earth, and all things therein, by means of Christ Jesus, the Son of God; who, because of His surpassing love towards His creation, condescended to be born of the virgin, He Himself uniting man through Himself to God, and having suffered under Pontius Pilate, and rising again, and having been received up in splendour, shall come in glory, the Saviour of those who are saved, and the Judge of those who are judged, and sending into eternal fire those who transform the truth, and despise His Father and His advent. Those who, in the absence of written documents, have believed this faith, are barbarians, so far as regards our language; but as regards doctrine, manner, and tenor of life, they are, because of faith, very wise indeed; and they do please God,
ANF01. The Apostolic Fathers with Justin Martyr and Irenaeus - Christian Classics Ethereal Library
So, when someone says we should hold fast to traditions whether written (scripture) or spoken (oral) and the question comes up, what traditions are those? The answer is essentially akin to the Nicene Creed. Or as Irenaeus outlined it, here are the unwritten ancient apostolic traditions.
I believe in one God, the creater of heaven and earth and all things
by means of Christ Jesus, the son of God
who loves His creation and so
condescended to be born of a virgin
uniting man to God through himself
He suffered under Pontius Pilate
rose again
ascended
will return
the Saviour of the saved and the Judge of the judged
sending to hell those who transform truth, despise the Father, and His Son.
Those are the only oral traditions Irenaeus refers. They are salvific. It is the same message, whether written or spoken to which we hold because the apostles had spread the Good News to Jew, Gentile, and Barbarian with and without paper. These oral traditions are, of course, now all found for everyone in written tradition, aka canonized scripture.
There is, therefore, no such thing as, nor support for, any future so-called Traditions. They may exist today, but not back in the very early days of the Church. As such, these new Traditions are not binding. Paul didn't have any of them in mind, nor was he giving permission for future bishops to make claims about their beliefs.
Lastly, this also now means, scripture alone is the rule of faith, confirming in each direction the written and unwritten traditions at that apostolic period.
Always nice when scripture and early Christian tradition come together. So, stand fast and hold to the traditions whether written or spoken.
2 Thes. 2:15 Therefore, brethren, stand fast, and hold the traditions which ye have been taught, whether by word, or our epistle.
Around GT, the often asked and never answered question is TO WHAT ORAL or WRITTEN TRADITIONS IS PAUL REFERRING?
We know it was traditions extant at the time of Paul and not later ones.
We know the statement was never intended as some blank check for unscrupulous men to take advantage, introducing heresy and schism.
As such, to what traditions was Paul referring? Here is an answer to the question about 150 years later from Irenaeus (bolding mine).
2. To which course many nations of those barbarians who believe in Christ do assent, having salvation written in their hearts by the Spirit, without paper or ink, and, carefully preserving the ancient tradition, believing in one God, the Creator of heaven and earth, and all things therein, by means of Christ Jesus, the Son of God; who, because of His surpassing love towards His creation, condescended to be born of the virgin, He Himself uniting man through Himself to God, and having suffered under Pontius Pilate, and rising again, and having been received up in splendour, shall come in glory, the Saviour of those who are saved, and the Judge of those who are judged, and sending into eternal fire those who transform the truth, and despise His Father and His advent. Those who, in the absence of written documents, have believed this faith, are barbarians, so far as regards our language; but as regards doctrine, manner, and tenor of life, they are, because of faith, very wise indeed; and they do please God,
ANF01. The Apostolic Fathers with Justin Martyr and Irenaeus - Christian Classics Ethereal Library
So, when someone says we should hold fast to traditions whether written (scripture) or spoken (oral) and the question comes up, what traditions are those? The answer is essentially akin to the Nicene Creed. Or as Irenaeus outlined it, here are the unwritten ancient apostolic traditions.
I believe in one God, the creater of heaven and earth and all things
by means of Christ Jesus, the son of God
who loves His creation and so
condescended to be born of a virgin
uniting man to God through himself
He suffered under Pontius Pilate
rose again
ascended
will return
the Saviour of the saved and the Judge of the judged
sending to hell those who transform truth, despise the Father, and His Son.
Those are the only oral traditions Irenaeus refers. They are salvific. It is the same message, whether written or spoken to which we hold because the apostles had spread the Good News to Jew, Gentile, and Barbarian with and without paper. These oral traditions are, of course, now all found for everyone in written tradition, aka canonized scripture.
There is, therefore, no such thing as, nor support for, any future so-called Traditions. They may exist today, but not back in the very early days of the Church. As such, these new Traditions are not binding. Paul didn't have any of them in mind, nor was he giving permission for future bishops to make claims about their beliefs.
Lastly, this also now means, scripture alone is the rule of faith, confirming in each direction the written and unwritten traditions at that apostolic period.
Always nice when scripture and early Christian tradition come together. So, stand fast and hold to the traditions whether written or spoken.