Scripture and
Tradition
As in the Catechism of the
Catholic Church, Article 2,
Points 74-119
God has revealed himself
He desires everyone to enjoy
eternal life. (74-75)
 God
wants everyone to be saved (for eternal life)
through Jesus Christ (1 Tim 2:4)
 Jesus must be proclaimed to all nations.
 So God has kept this revelation intact to be
transmitted to all ages (Second Vatican Council).
 Christ commanded his disciples to preach the
Gospel (Mt 28:19-20; Mk 16:15).
Two ways of transmitting the
Gospel (76):
 Orally
– Apostles and all Christians preaching, good
example, establishing institutions. The apostles
passed on what they heard from Christ or were
taught by the Spirit.
 Writing - The apostles and others (under the Spirit's
inspiration) put this message into writing.
Bishops and Tradition (77-79)
 Bishops
are the successors of the apostles with
authority to teach and preserve Christ’s teaching.
 This living transmission is called Tradition. It is distinct
from, yet closely united with, Sacred Scripture.
 Goal and Source of both Sacred Tradition and
Sacred Scripture: make Christ actually present in
the Church.
What are Scripture and Tradition?
(81-82)
 Sacred
Scripture: God's speech written
under the breath of the Holy Spirit.
 Tradition: fully transmits the Word of God
to the apostles' successors.
 Both Scripture and Tradition must be
equally honoured.
 Tradition: The first generation Church had
no written Testament. The New Testament
is the result of spoken words and lived life.
Interpreting Tradition and
Scripture (85-87)
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The teaching office of the Church gives the
authentic interpretation of God's Word
(written or oral). Bishops united with the Pope
exercise their authority in Jesus' name.
The Church only teaches what has been
handed down by the Spirit, explaining God's
Word and preserving it in what is called the
‘deposit of faith’.
Christ said to the apostles: "He who hears
you, hears me" (Lk 10:16).
What are Dogmas?
(88-90)
 Truths
contained in, or clearly connected with
Divine Revelation.
 They light up a path to holiness that all people can
follow.
 All people united in the Church Christ founded are
anointed by the Spirit and can understand and
hand on these truths.
 When the bishops and those united to them agree
in matters of faith or morals, the church cannot be
mistaken.
 The People of God hold to these truths and apply
them in their life.
Faith Grows (94-95)
God Uses Words to Speak (101-104)
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Faith grows through study, theological
research, reading the Scriptures.
God speaks to us in the words of men.
Sacred Scripture is ultimately God’s one
Word (Jesus Christ). "One and the same Word
of God extends throughout Scripture. One
and the same utterance resounds in the
mouths of all the sacred writers" (St.
Augustine).
So the Church venerates the Scripture as
much Lord's Body. All the faithful receive from
the one table of God's Word and Christ's
Body.
How is Scripture Written by
God and How did God Use
Human Authors?
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God is the author because Sacred Scripture was
written under the guidance of the Holy Spirit. The
Church accepts as sacred all of the books of the
Old and New Testament, whole and entire.
God chose and inspired certain men. They used
their own powers in writing. The Spirit showed them
what he wanted written and no more. They were
still true authors.
These books teach faithfully and without error
what God wanted to reveal for our salvation.
But Christian faith is not a "religion of the book" but
of the living Word of God (Jesus).
How to Interpret Scripture Correctly
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Be attentive to what the human author wanted to say
and to what God wanted to reveal.
Discover the human author's intention by studying the
culture, the narration style, and the forms of writing
(history, poetry, prophecy, etc.).
Criterion 1: Respect the full content and unity of the
whole Scripture. God's plan (in both Old and New
Testament) has unity in Christ.
Criterion 2: Read the Scriptures within the context of the
Church's living Tradition. The Spirit guides Tradition.
Criterion 3: Recognise and respect the coherence of all
truths among themselves and within God's plan.
One Literal Sense and Three Spiritual
Senses
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Literal sense: the meaning the human author
intended to convey.
Spiritual Sense 1: Allegorical sense Recognizing events in the light of Christ. E.g.
the parting of the Red Sea is a sign of Baptism
Spiritual Sense 2: Moral sense – This relates to
acting justly and rightly.
Spiritual Sense 3: Anagogical sense - Seeing
the truths in light of eternal happiness