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Okay, when I read this... it seems Sacred Scripture is held higher than Sacred Tradition for some Catholics like Akin. Maybe Protestant converts to the Catholic Faith have a higher view of Sacred Scripture over Sacred Tradition?
Not higher, perhaps, but certainly Scripture is generally very highly valued by both converts and reverts. Some of us learned to read Scripture from our separated brethren. But it is usually the Sacred Tradition that draws us back, because that is what prevents the splintering and confusion.
Where does Sacred Tradition stop and tradition begins in the Catholic Faith.
I know there are a wide range of beliefs in the Catholic Faith when something is not declared dogma, but there are allowable beliefs under the Catholic umbrella for many issues. For instance, would Mary being co-redemptive be considered tradition and not Sacred Tradition?
No, Mary is co-redemptive, and has always been since her conception (which we celebrate today, by the way
). It has not been proclaimed a Dogma but it most likely will be.
The wide range of beliefs that exist are, in large part, not permissable. Many baptized Catholics have become Protestant and don’t realize it. They believe they can depart from the Teachings of the Apostles and still be properly called Catholics, but this is not the case. We are bound by the Apostolic instruction even though most of it has never been declared “dogma”. There are actually very few such declarations.
Sacred Tradition is the Word of God infallibly protected in the Church. Traditions of men are those things that are cultural distinctives that can change. The Word of God cannot change.
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I know the church grows in understanding over time to understand the Faith. So, if something becomes new Sacred Tradition down the road, how does that work since the Faith was once for all delivered to the Saints in the first century?
You are right that the faith was once for all delivered to the Church. No “new Sacred Tradition” can be added. The Dogmas are always declarations of what the Church already received in that once for all deposit.
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Either Mary is a co-redemptive with Christ or she is not... regardless of this truth being declared Sacred Tradition or simply just being tradition. It’s kind of like the Bible in the sense that it has always been God breathed revelation from above before any official Church council declared it to be with an official cannon.
Yes, you have that exactly right. No Dogma introduces anything new. Just as the Scriptures were inspired as soon as they were written, whether they were recognized as such, or not, so Sacred Tradition has been true from the time Jesus taught, whether it was recognized as such, or not.
When the Philippian jailer asked the Apostle Paul the question of what must we do to be saved, the Apostle did not respond with you must submit to the correct version of authority and have the right understanding of justification.
On the contrary, that is EXACTLY what he was asking! And the correct doctrine and understanding is that which comes from the Apostles:
Acts 2:40-42
41 So those who received his word were baptized, and there were added that day about three thousand souls. 42 And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.
The Church founded by Christ has always been centered around the teachings of Apostles (and their successors), the Eucharist, and the prayers. Most modern Protestants have no clue what the Apostles believed and practiced with regard to eucharist and prayers. These are elements that have been infalibly preserved by the Holy Spirit through Sacred Tradition.
There are only two issues that prevent me from being Catholic
- Agreeing on Apostolic Succession - Catholic Magestrium
- Leaving the doctrine of justification by faith alone.
I agree with just about all of the other essential Christian doctrines which make us siblings in Christ. What are your thoughts?
My thought is that I will keep you in my prayers.
. But I always have to make sure they sometimes understand that I am not doing Theology at that juncture as I quote but simply using it as a narrative. Because as soon as you quote Scripture, people tend to think its theology.
For one thing, I always forget them off the top of my head. Even the Apostolic Succession ones, I have the passages listed so I can quickly refer.
Would you find it difficult to leave the Lutheran church? If I remember correctly, you said no…