Scripture and Tradition

The Bible is easily one of the world’s most sold books but why do Catholic Christians believe in and do things that are not in the Bible? God’s Revelation is made known through Tradition and scripture. Both aspects of Revelation support each other and Apostolic Tradition is the guide. Let’s examine the explanation of the connection of Revelation with Tradition and Scripture, a description of how Tradition and Scripture support and complete each other, and an explanation of the meaning and the role Apostolic Tradition in supporting beliefs and practices not explicitly found in the Bible.

Revelation is God’s self-communication to humanity naturally, through creation, Biblically, through Jesus, and through apostolic teachings. Tradition is the living transmission of the message of the Gospel in the Church, which is passed on through the apostolic succession (laying on of hands). It is distinct from Sacred Scripture but closely connected to it and, makes present to the mystery of Christ. Revelation and Tradition are go hand in hand; Revelation is God self-communicating himself to the world and Tradition is sharing these occurrences with the world. Tradition preceded Scripture because oral tradition came before writing things down. In other words, story telling was very popular and stories of God were spread around before people began to keep track of these stories, not necessarily as historical documents though. Even though Tradition preceded Scripture, they are honored with equal reverence and respect.

Tradition and Scripture support each other because they are both doing one thing: proclaiming the Word. 80 “Sacred Tradition and Sacred Scripture, then, are bound closely together, and communicate one with the other. For both of them, ...

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...ontinue what he has learned because he learned it from Paul and has been taught the Scripture. In the first reason, Paul is supporting Apostolic Tradition by telling Timothy to listen to what he has told him. The Magisterium, which consists of Bishops and the Pope, has helped with traditions by proclaiming the authentic teachings of the Church.

Catholics and Christians do things that are not in the Bible because of Tradition. Today, we examined the connection of Tradition with Revelation and Scripture, a description of how Tradition and Scripture support and complete each other, and an explanation of the meaning and the role of the Apostolic Tradition in supporting beliefs and practices not explicitly found in the Bible. God’s Revelation is made known through Tradition and Scripture. Both aspects of Revelation support each other and Apostolic Tradition is the guide.