holytradition.pdf
TRANSCRIPT
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The Holy Tradition as an Authority &
The Church as its Guardian
ThomasArnoldJanssen
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TableofContents
Preface 3Chapter1 5TheAuthorityofTraditionChapter2 10TheAuthorityoftheChurch
Conclusion 16
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Preface
ThestructureusedbytheCatholicChurchdiffersfromthatofotherreligionsin
regardstowhatisconsideredauthoritativeinmattersofdoctrineandfaith.Certain
religionsrelyontheuseofscripturesolelyfortheirdoctrines.Thiswouldincludemost
branchesofProtestantism.MostProtestantsbelieveinSolaScriptura,thatis,Scripture
Alonebeingthesoleinfallibleruleoffaith.Otherreligions,suchasIslam,Hinduism,
andRabbinicJudaism,relyonscriptureandtraditiontoformulatedoctrine.
TheCatholicChurchdiffersfrombothofthesepreviouslymentionedwaysof
formulatingdoctrine.ItdiffersfromSolaScripturabecausetheCatholicChurchdoesnot
relysolelyonScriptureforitsfaith,relyingalsoonHolyTradition,whichisheldtohave
justasmuchauthorityasScriptureitself.ButitalsodiffersfromreligionssuchasIslam
andJudaism,whichrelyonlyonscriptureandtradition,becausetheCatholicChurch
hasacentralizedauthoritywhichisheldtobeinfalliblewheninterpretingbothScripture
andTraditionaswellasauthenticatinganddefiningwhatisScriptureandTradition,
thereforemakingtheCatholicChurchtheprimaryinfallibleruleoffaithandtheultimate
authorityinallissuesoffaithanddoctrine.
Thisbookwillclarifyafewmajorissuesthatareofimportance.One,itwillseek
toprovethattheearlyChurch,inthewordsoftheEarlyChurchFathers,were
unanimousanduncompromisingontheauthorityoftheHolyTradition.Two,itwill
demonstratethattheearlyChurchbelievedandtaughtthatHolyTraditionisindeedon
thesamelevelofauthorityasSacredScripture,neitheraboveitnorunderneathit,
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thereforedisprovingPrimaScriptura(ScriptureFirst).Three,itwillshowthattheFathers
believedtheCatholicChurchtobetheultimateauthorityonmattersoffaithandmorals,
thatcommunionwithitisanecessity,andtheCatholicChurchhastheauthorityto
definewhatisScriptureandwhatisTraditiononitsauthorityalone.Mostofall,ihopeto
refutetheideathattheauthorityoftheChurchandtheauthorityofTraditionwassome
vagueconceptwhichwasntfullydefinedorbelieved.
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Chapter1
TheAuthorityofTradition
HolyTraditionisdefinedasanoralteachingoftheApostleswhichwaspassed
downinanunbrokensequenceuntilpresentday.HolyTraditionisbelievedtohave
emanatedfromthesameHolySpiritthatalsorevealedtheSacredScripture.Therefore,
HolyTraditionisalsotheWordofGod.Therearedoctrinesthatarebelievedentirely
basedonTraditionitself.ThebeliefoftheChurchFathersintheauthorityofHoly
Traditionisindeeduncompromisingandunanimous,therearenodissentingvoices.An
earlyexampleofthebeliefregardingtheauthorityofHolyTraditionispreachedbySt.
BasiltheGreatinhisbookOntheHolySpirit,writtencirca360A.D.Thisisthefirst
examplethatwillbepresentedregardingtheauthorityofHolyTradition.Ihavechosen
thisbookasthefirstexamplebecauseSt.Basilgoesintogreatdetailintothedoctrine
concerningtheHolyTradition.IrecommendthatthereaderstudyOntheHolySpirit
further.
St.BasiltheGreatiswritingtoAmphilochiusonsomecontroversiesthatwere
enteringtheChurch.CertainindividualswereclaimingthattheHolySpiritwas
subordinate,orbelowtheFatherinrank.Anotherissuewasasemanticalargument
overwhetherwearetoworshiptheFatherwiththeSonandtheHolySpiritorwhether
weshouldworshiptheFatherthroughtheSonandtheHolySpirit.Alsohecondemns
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thosewhobaptiseinthenameoftheFatheronlyasheretical.RegardingtheHoly
Spirit,St.BasildefendsthatitisequaltotheFatherandtheSon.Regardingtheusage
ofwithorthrough,St.Basilsayseithertermisappropriateandneitheriswrong.St.
BasilthengivesalongexplanationastothevariousbeliefsregardingtheHolySpirit.
RegardingthosewhobaptiseinthenameoftheFatheronly,St.Basilsaysthatany
baptismthatisnotdoneinfullconcordancewithHolyTraditionisafalsebaptism.
St.BasilmakesitclearthathewillexaminetheHolyScriptureinlightoftheHoly
Traditionwhenrefutingtheseerrors,Letusnowinvestigatewhatareourcommon
conceptionsconcerningtheSpirit,aswellthosewhichhavebeengatheredbyusfrom
HolyScriptureconcerningItasthosewhichwehavereceivedfromtheunwritten
traditionoftheFathers. 1
St.BasiltheGreatpointsoutthathereticsneverhaverespectforHolyTradition
andthatacommoncharacteristicofthehereticsistoattempttodisregardHoly
Traditionforthesakeofselfinterpretation.Hewrote,Theoneaimofthewholebandof
opponentsandenemiesofsounddoctrineistoshakedownthefoundationofthe
faithofChristbylevellingapostolictraditionwiththeground,andutterlydestroying
it.Solikethedebtors,ofcoursebonafidedebtorstheyclamourforwrittenproof,
andrejectasworthlesstheunwrittentraditionoftheFathers. 2
St.BasilthenassertsthatthosewhodonotreceiveaBaptisminthenameofthe
Father,Son,andHolySpiritarenotbaptised.Hegoesfurtherandsaysthatany
baptismthatisnotdoneinfullconcordancewithHolyTraditionisnotabaptism.
1OntheHolySpirit,St.BasiltheGreat,Chapter9,Paragraph222OntheHolySpirit,St.BasiltheGreat,Chapter10,Paragraph25
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Whetheramanhavedepartedthislifewithoutbaptism,orhavereceivedabaptism
lackinginsomeoftherequirementsofthetradition,hislossisequal. St.Basilalso3
statesthattheHolyTraditioncanneverbechanged,Forthetraditionthathasbeen
givenusbythequickeninggracemustremainforeverinviolate. 4
St.Basilalsosays,inexplicitterms,thatHolyTraditionisequaltoSacred
Scripture.Ofthebeliefsandpracticeswhethergenerallyacceptedorpubliclyenjoined
whicharepreservedintheChurchsomewepossessderivedfromwrittenteaching
otherswehavereceiveddeliveredtousinamysterybythetraditionoftheapostles
andbothoftheseinrelationtotruereligionhavethesameforce.Andtheseno
onewillgainsaynoone,atallevents,whoisevenmoderatelyversedinthe
institutionsoftheChurch. St.BasiltheGreathasmadeitclearthatHolyTradition5
holdsthesameweightasSacredScriptureandthatnobodywithamodicumof
knowledgeofChristianitywouldsayotherwise.
St.BasiltheGreatisarguingagainstthosewhosayitishereticaltosaywiththe
Spiritinprayer.HeanswersaveryspecificobjectionthatthephrasewiththeSpirit
doesnotappearinSacredScripture.InSt.Basilresponse,hegivesusmoredetailon
thebeliefsconcerningHolyTradition.Inanswertotheobjectionthatthedoxologyin
theformwiththeSpirithasnowrittenauthority,wemaintainthatifthereisnoother
instanceofthatwhichisunwritten,thenthismustnotbereceived.Butifthegreater
numberofourmysteriesareadmittedintoourconstitutionwithoutwrittenauthority,
then,incompanywiththemanyothers,letusreceivethisone.ForIholditapostolic
3OntheHolySpirit,St.BasiltheGreat,Chapter10,Paragraph264OntheHolySpirit,St.BasiltheGreat,Chapter12,Paragraph285OntheHolySpirit,St.BasiltheGreat,Chapter27,Paragraph66
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toabidealsobytheunwrittentraditions.Ipraiseyou,itissaid,thatyouremember
meinallthings,andkeeptheordinancesasIdeliveredthemtoyouandHoldfastthe
traditionswhichyouhavebeentaughtwhetherbyword,orourEpistle.Oneofthese
traditionsisthepracticewhichisnowbeforeus,whichtheywhoordainedfrom
thebeginning,rootedfirmlyinthechurches,deliveringittotheirsuccessors,and
itsusethroughlongcustomadvancespacebypacewithtime. St.Basilsanswers6
againaffirmstheequalityofHolyTraditiontoSacredScripture.Butitalsomakesclear
thatthereisabeliefinthesuccessionofHolyTraditionfromthetimeoftheApostlesto
presentday.AccordingtoSt.BasiltheHolyTraditionispreservedbytheChurch
Fathers,itwouldtrulyhavebeenterriblethattheblasphemersoftheSpiritshouldso
easilybeemboldenedintheirattackupontruereligion,andthatwe,withsomightyan
allyandsupporteratourside,shouldshrinkfromtheserviceofthatdoctrine,whichby
thetraditionoftheFathershasbeenpreservedbyanunbrokensequenceof
memorytoourownday. 7
IwanttoincludeafewmorebriefexampleofhowtheChurchFathersvaluedthe
importanceofHolyTradition.NoticehowSt.BasiltheGreatcommentatedonSecond
Thessalonians2:15,Sothen,brothersandsisters,standfirmandholdfasttothe
teachingswepassedontoyou,whetherbywordofmouthorbyletter.,Iwouldliketo
giveanothercommentaryontheversefromSt.JohnChrysostomonthisverse.
Henceitismanifest,thattheydidnotdeliverallthingsbyEpistle,butmany
thingsalsounwritten,andinlikemannerboththeoneandtheotherareworthyofcredit.
6OntheHolySpirit,St.BasiltheGreat,Chapter29,Paragraph717OntheHolySpirit,St.BasiltheGreat,Chapter30,Paragraph79
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ThereforeletusthinkthetraditionoftheChurchalsoworthyofcredit.Itisatradition,
seeknofarther.Hereheshowsthatthereweremanywhowereshaken. St.John8
Chrysostomisconsistentwithalltheotherknowncommentariesonthisversethatthis
isrelatingtoanoralTraditionpasseddownamongtheApostles.
8Homily4onSecondThessalonians,St.JohnChrysostom,verse15,
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Chapter2
TheAuthorityoftheChurch
HolyTraditionandtheChurchgohandinhand.ItistheChurchwhichdefines
HolyTraditionanditistheChurchwhichenforcesTradition.TheChurchhasbeen
grantedinfallibilitybyGodsothatitwouldremainoutsideoferror.TheAuthorityofthe
ChurchisGodgiven,protected,andfreefromerror.Theclaimisanaudaciousone.
TheCatholicfaithistheonlyfaithwhichclaimsthatithasinfallibilityasaninstitutionto
thisday.ThisisalsowhattheFathersoftheChurchbelieved.TheChurchFathers
acceptedtheChurchastheguardianofChristiandoctrine.TheChurchisanchoredby
therockwhichistheSeatofPeter.AllChurchesintheworldmustbeinunionwiththe
SeatofPeterinordertobeCatholic.
St.Irenaeusofthe2ndCenturywentintogreatdetailontheauthorityofHoly
TraditionandtheauthorityoftheCatholicChurch.wedoputtoconfusionallthose
who,inwhatevermanner,whetherbyanevilselfpleasing,byvainglory,orbyblindness
andperverseopinion,assembleinunauthorizedmeetings[wedothis,Isay,]by
indicatingthattraditionderivedfromtheapostles,oftheverygreat,theveryancient,
anduniversallyknownChurchfoundedandorganizedatRomebythetwomost
gloriousapostles,PeterandPaulasalso[bypointingout]thefaithpreachedtomen,
whichcomesdowntoourtimebymeansofthesuccessionsofthebishops.Foritis
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amatterofnecessitythateveryChurchshouldagreewiththisChurch,onaccount
ofitspreeminentauthority,thatis,thefaithfuleverywhere, TheChurchinRomeis9
thepreeminentChurchaccordingtoSt.Irenaeus.ThisistheChurchwhichholdthe
infallibleHolyTraditionwhichhasbeenpasseddownbythesuccessionofBishops.
JustlikeSt.BasiltheGreat,St.Irenaeusconsidersitatypicalcharacteristicofthe
hereticstodenyHolyTradition.
SplittingtheChurchisviewedasagreatsin,itiscondemnedbySt.Irenaeus
throughouttheAgainstHeresiesbook,whichisamustread.Howeverthereisaknown
caseofschismwhichisaddressedbyCyprianofCarthagewhichisperfectforthe
purposeofthisbook.AbishopnamedNovatianwasstartingtogainfollowersand
attractedscathingcriticismfromCyprianinhis75thepistle.Cyprianmakesitclearthat
divisionfromtheChurchatRomemakesyouloseyourCatholicity.Forthefaithofthe
sacredScripturesetsforththattheChurchisnotwithout,norcanbeseparatednor
dividedagainstitself,butmaintainstheunityofaninseparableandundividedhouse 10
CyprianofCarthagesaysevenifthedoctrinesarethesameastheChurchin
Rome,theycannotbeCatholic.Hewrote,Butifanyoneobjects,bywayofsayingthat
NovatianholdsthesamelawwhichtheCatholicChurchholds,baptizeswiththesame
symbolwithwhichwebaptize,knowsthesameGodandFather,thesameChristthe
Son,thesameHolySpirit,andthatforthisreasonhemayclaimthepowerofbaptizing,
namely,thatheseemsnottodifferfromusinthebaptismalinterrogatoryletanyone
thatthinksthatthismaybeobjected,knowfirstofall,thatthemisnotonelawofthe
9AgainstHeresies,St.Irenaeus,BookIII,Chapter3,Paragraph210Epistle75,CyprianofCarthage,paragraph4
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Creed,northesameinterrogatorycommontousandtoschismatics.Forwhenthey
say,DoyoubelievetheremissionofsinsandlifeeternalthroughtheholyChurch?they
lieintheirinterrogatory,sincetheyhavenottheChurch. 11
CyprianofCarthagelaysitoutveryexplicitlythatonemustbeincommunionwith
Rome,HewhosaysthatanyonecanbebaptizedandsanctifiedbyNovatianmustfirst
showandteachthatNovatianisintheChurchorpresidesovertheChurch.Forthe
Churchisone,andassheisone,cannotbebothwithinandwithout.Forifsheiswith
Novatian,shewasnotwith[Pope]Cornelius. 12
IwillnowshifttofocustoperhapsthemostimportantChurchFatherofalltime,
St.AugustineofHippo.St.AugustinewasaCatholicbishopwhotaughtobedienceto
theCatholicChurch.InSt.AugustinesecondbookofrepliestoPetilian,heisreplyingto
aschismaticargumentthatthePopeshouldnotbefollowedbecauseheisevil.St.
Augustinerespondsbysayingwearestillcommandedtofollowevilpopesbecause
evenevilpopesareinfallible.
St.Augustinewrote,whathasthechairdonetoyouoftheRomanChurch,in
whichPetersat,andwhichAnastasiusfillstodayorthechairoftheChurchof
Jerusalem,inwhichJamesoncesat,andinwhichJohnsitstoday,withwhichweare
unitedinCatholicunity,andfromwhichyouhaveseveredyourselvesbyyourmadfury?
Whydoyoucalltheapostolicchairaseatofthescornful?Ifitisonaccountofthemen
whomyoubelievetousethewordsofthelawwithoutperformingit,doyoufindthatour
LordJesusChristwasmovedbythePharisees,ofwhomHesays,"Theysay,anddo
11Epistle75,CyprianofCarthage,paragraph712Epistle75,CyprianofCarthage,paragraph3
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not,"todoanydespitetotheseatinwhichtheysat?DidHenotcommendtheseatof
Moses,andmaintainthehonoroftheseat,whileHeconvictedthosethatsatinit?For
Hesays,"TheysitinMoses'seat:allthereforewhatsoevertheybidyouobserve,that
observeanddobutdonotyeaftertheirworks:fortheysay,anddonot."Matthew
23:23Ifyouweretothinkofthesethings,youwouldnot,onaccountofmenwhomyou
calumniate,dodespitetotheapostolicseat,inwhichyouhavenoshare. Noticehow13
St.AugustinequotesMatthew23:23,whereJesuscommandsHisfollowersin
obediencetotheteachingsofthePhariseeswhosatontheSeatofMoses.Even
thoughtheywereevil,theirteachingswerestillprotectedbyGodatthattime.
IfthereisanydoubtaboutwhatSt.Augustineistryingtosay,considerthenext
twoquotesfromSt.Augustine,onthesameversefromMatthew.Andyetnotevenon
accountofthosePharisees,withwhomyoucompareusnotfromanymotivesof
prudence,butfrommalicedidourLordenjointhattheseatofMosesshouldbe
deserted,whichseatHedoubtlessmeanttobeafigureofHisownforHesaidindeed
thattheywhosatinMoses'seatwereeversayingandnotdoing,butwarnsthepeople
todowhattheysay,andnottodowhattheydo,Matthew23:23lestthechair,withall
itsholiness,shouldbedeserted,andtheunityoftheflockdividedthroughthe
faithlessnessoftheshepherds 14
Furthermore,whensuchmensitintheseatofMoses,forwhichtheLord
preserveditsduehonor,whydoyoublasphemetheapostolicchaironaccountofmen
whom,justlyorunjustly,youcomparewiththese? 15
13AnswertoPetilian,BookII,Chapter5114AnswertoPetilian,BookII,Chapter6115AnswertoPetilian,BookII,Chapter73
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HoweverSt.AugustinewasmostlypointedonthecomparisonoftheSeatof
PeterwiththeSeatofMosesinthefollowingquote,"Godpreserveththetruthofthe
ChristianreligionintheapostolicSeeofRome,whichinthenewlawanswerstothe
chairofMoses,notwithstandingthedisedifyingconductofsomefewofitsbishops.Yes,
thoughatraitor,asvileasJudashimself,wereabishopthereof,itwouldnotbe
prejudicialtotheintegrityofthefaithofGod'sChurch,ortothereadyobedienceand
perfectsubmissionofsinceregoodChristians,forwhomourLordhasmadethis
provision,whenhesays:dothatwhichtheysay,butdonotastheydo." 16
St.CyrilofJerusalemhasasimilarcommentaryontheverse,TheScribesand
thePhariseessitinMoses'seat:foritsignifiesnothiswoodenseat,buttheauthorityof
histeaching. 17
Furthermore,St.AugustinepointsthatEcumenicalcouncilsarealsoaformof
authoritativeteaching,Astothoseotherthingswhichweholdontheauthority,notof
Scripture,butoftradition,andwhichareobservedthroughoutthewholeworld,itmaybe
understoodthattheyareheldasapprovedandinstitutedeitherbytheapostles
themselves,orbyplenaryCouncils,whoseauthorityintheChurchismostuseful ,18
"BeforeHissufferingtheLordJesusChrist,asyouknow,choseHisdisciples,whomHe
calledApostles.AmongtheseApostlesalmosteverywherePeteralonemeritedto
representthewholeChurch.ForthesakeofhisrepresentingthewholeChurch,which
16St.AugustineEpistleclxv.CitedinHaydock'sBibleCommentary185917Catechesis12,CyrilofJerusalem,2318Book1ofRepliestoJanuarius(Letter54),St.Augustine,Chapter1
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healonecoulddo,hemeritedtohear,IwillgiveyouthekeysofthekingdomofHeaven
(Matt16:19)." 19
St.AugustinewentevensofarastosayFormypart,Ishouldnotbelievethe
gospelexceptasmovedbytheauthorityoftheCatholicChurch. 20
19Sermons295,2,St.Augustine
20AgainsttheFundamentalEpistleofManichaeus,StAugustine,Chapter5
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Conclusion
TheChristianreligionteaches,andhasalwaystaught,thattheFaithofthe
ApostleshasbeenpasseddowninviaSacredScriptureandHolyTradition.The
ChristianFaithsaysthatHolyTraditionholdsthesamevalueasSacredScripture.The
ChristianFaithalsodemandsobediencetotheChurchwhichwasoriginallygivenboth
theHolyTraditionandtheSacredScripture,itisforbiddentobeinschismfromit.The
ChristianFaithalsoteachesandhasalwaystaught,thattheCatholicChurchis
centeredinRomeandthereforeobediencemustbegiventothatChurch.