The Holy Tradition as an Authority &

The Church as its Guardian

ThomasArnoldJanssen

TableofContents

Preface 3Chapter1 5TheAuthorityofTraditionChapter2 10TheAuthorityoftheChurch

Conclusion 16

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,

thereforedisprovingPrimaScriptura(ScriptureFirst).Three,itwillshowthattheFathers

believedtheCatholicChurchtobetheultimateauthorityonmattersoffaithandmorals,

thatcommunionwithitisanecessity,andtheCatholicChurchhastheauthorityto

definewhatisScriptureandwhatisTraditiononitsauthorityalone.Mostofall,ihopeto

refutetheideathattheauthorityoftheChurchandtheauthorityofTraditionwassome

vagueconceptwhichwasntfullydefinedorbelieved.

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

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

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

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

ThereforeletusthinkthetraditionoftheChurchalsoworthyofcredit.Itisatradition,

seeknofarther.Hereheshowsthatthereweremanywhowereshaken. St.John8

Chrysostomisconsistentwithalltheotherknowncommentariesonthisversethatthis

isrelatingtoanoralTraditionpasseddownamongtheApostles.

8Homily4onSecondThessalonians,St.JohnChrysostom,verse15,

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

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

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

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

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

healonecoulddo,hemeritedtohear,IwillgiveyouthekeysofthekingdomofHeaven

(Matt16:19)." 19

St.AugustinewentevensofarastosayFormypart,Ishouldnotbelievethe

gospelexceptasmovedbytheauthorityoftheCatholicChurch. 20

19Sermons295,2,St.Augustine

20AgainsttheFundamentalEpistleofManichaeus,StAugustine,Chapter5

Conclusion

TheChristianreligionteaches,andhasalwaystaught,thattheFaithofthe

ApostleshasbeenpasseddowninviaSacredScriptureandHolyTradition.The

ChristianFaithsaysthatHolyTraditionholdsthesamevalueasSacredScripture.The

ChristianFaithalsodemandsobediencetotheChurchwhichwasoriginallygivenboth

theHolyTraditionandtheSacredScripture,itisforbiddentobeinschismfromit.The

ChristianFaithalsoteachesandhasalwaystaught,thattheCatholicChurchis

centeredinRomeandthereforeobediencemustbegiventothatChurch.