1. “Stand firm then, my brothers, to the
TRADITIONS that we taught you, whether by
WORD OF MOUTH or by LETTER.”
2 Thessalonians 2:15

2. Latin “tradere” - to hand on; to pass
the CONTENT: the PROCESS:
that which is being the manner by which the
handed on content is passed
TRADITION IS THE WHOLE PROCESS BY WHICH
THE CHURCH PRESERVES AND HANDS ON THE
FAITH THROUGH GENERATIONS

3. Fr. Ian Knox C.S.Sp.
• THROUGH PREACHING
• THROUGH TEACHING
• THROUGH RELIGIOUS
SERVICES AND CUSTOMS
• THROUGH PERSONAL AND
COMMUNAL PRAYERS AND
DEVOTIONS
• THROUGH SPECIAL DAYS OF
FEAST AND REMEMBRANCE
• THROUGH RELIGIOUS LAWS
AND OBLIGATIONS
• THROUGH SAYINGS AND
CATCH PHRASES
• THROUGH STORY TELLING

4. “There are so many other things that Jesus did, but if these were to be described
individually, I do not think the whole world would contain the books that would be
written.” John 21:25
SACRED TRADITION AND SACRED
SCRIPTURES CONSTITUTE THE
DEPOSIT OF DIVINE REVELATION.
• Sacred Scriptures originated from Oral Tradition.
• Not all of Tradition had been written down, hence the
Bible, authoritative as it is, does not contain the entirety of
revelation.
• Tradition does not stop when it is written down. Rather,
traditions continue in the life of the church.

5. “Tradition (capitalized) is the living and lived
faith of the church; traditions are customary
ways of doing or expressing matters related to
faith. If tradition cannot be rejected or lost
without essential distortion of the gospel, it is
part of Tradition itself. If tradition is not
essential, then it is subject to change or even
to elimination.”
Richard McBrien
CATHOLICISM, p.66

6. These are practices of the Church which are NON-
DOCTRINAL. These may have resulted from the needs
of the church which arose at a particular time in history.
Some of these traditions may have been a product of the
entry of the Church into other cultures.
EXAMPLES:
The MANNER of Easter Practices
The Holy Rosary
celebrating the Eucharist
The Pope recently Before the Second Vatican Council, In the Philippines, the
added another set of the priest faced the altar and used “Salubong” is part of the
mysteries: the Luminous Latin, today , the priest faces the Introductory Rites for
Mysteries people and uses the vernacular the Easter Morning Mass

7. SCRIPTURAL
TRADITIONS
SACRED
TRADITION APOSTOLOIC
TRADITIONS
TEACHINGS OF THE
MAGISTERIUM

8. These are traditions that take their
roots in the HOLY BIBLE. These
practices and beliefs can be justified
by quoting Sacred Scriptures.
EXAMPLES:
Baptism The Authority of the Pope The Holy Mass
“Go therefore and make “I give you the keys to the kingdom “For as often as you eat
disciples of all nations, of heaven. Whatever you bind on this bread and drink this
baptizing them in the name of earth shall be bound in heaven. cup, you proclaim the
the Father and of the Son and Whatever you loose on earth shall be death of the Lord until he
of the Holy Spirit” Mt. 28:19 loosed in heaven.” Mt.16:19 comes.” 1 Cor 11:26

9. These are the teachings which the
Apostles left us, not through written
scripture, but through the unbroken
chain of succession of Popes,
bishops, priests and deacons. This
unbroken chain is an assurance that
the teachings of the Apostles are
preserved intact.
Church teachings that are based on
Apostolic Traditions are contained in
the Catechism of the Catholic Church.
And for us Filipinos, we also have the
Catechism for Filipino Catholics.

10. Lt. “Magister” - teacher IMMACULATE
THE MARIAN
MAGISTERIUM- the teaching authority of the CONCEPTION
Church. This is exercised by the Pope in making
DOGMAS WERE
solemn definitions, or by Bishops in an Ecumenical DEFINED BY
Council like Vatican 2 VIRTUE OF THE
CHURCH’S
The teachings of faith are never stagnant. As time MAGISTERIUM
goes by, the Church’s understanding of her own DIVINE Pope Pius IX. 1854
teachings deepen, leading to the definition and
MOTHERHOOD ASSUMPTION OF
promulgation of new teachings.
OUR LADY
These teachings are “new” not because they were
just invented. On the contrary, they have always
been part of the ancient teachings of the church,
only that they were not immediately defined.
Council of Ephesus, 431 Pope Pius XII, 1950

11. For our sake he was crucified under Pontius
A SUMMARY OF SACRED TRADITION:
Pilate; he suffered, died, and was buried. On
the third day he rose again in fulfillment of
the Scriptures, he ascended into heaven and
is seated at the right hand of the Father. He
We believe in One God, the Father will come again in glory to judge the living
Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, and the dead, and his kingdom will have no
of all that is seen and unseen. end.
We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the
We believe in one Lord Jesus Christ, the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father
only Son of God, eternally begotten of and the Son. With the Father and the Son,
the Father, God from God, Light from he is worshipped and glorified. He has
Light, true God from true God, spoken through the prophets.
begotten, not made, one in Being with
the Father. Through him all things We believe in one, holy, catholic, and apostolic
were made. For us men and for our Church. We acknowledge one baptism for
salvation, he came down from heaven, the forgiveness of sins. We look forward to
by the power of the Holy Spirit he was the resurrection of the dead, and the life of
born of the Virgin Mary and became the world to come. Amen.
man.
Council of Nicaea, 325

12. Richard McBrien
CATHOLICISM
Winston Press, 1980
James O. McDonnel
JUST THE FAQ’s: WHAT CATHOLICS REALLY BELIEVE
Makati: Word and Life Publications, 1994
Fr. Ian Knox, C.S.Sp.
THEOLOGY FOR TEACHERS
Ottawa:Novalis Press, 1994