As I have written before, I already know (through various conversions with Catholics here in CAF) that the SS don’t contain the “fulness of the gospel”.
That is not what we teach. The SS’s do contain the fullness of the Gospel because they contain salvation history which has been fulfilled in Jesus Christ. He is God’s only word and the fullness of the Gospel is found in him only. The problem is the interpretation of what is contained in SS. We are guided by the Church’s Magisterium who we believe is protected from error in its interpretation as promised by Christ who sent the Holy Spirit to guide us into all truth. All non-Catholic Christians (save EO) vary from this truth to one degree or another resulting in thousand upon thousands of denominations.
So you could say that the CCC is more or less identical with the ST handed down to us by the Apostles. Because otherwise: if we are to obey the ST the same as the Holy Bible - where would we know from?
The CCC is a great synopsis of both ST and SS, but certainly does not contain everything stored in the treasury of ST. It does however, contain everything that we believe. As to what to obey, as Catholics, we must obey the Church who speaks with the voice of Christ. We accept both equally and find no conflict between the two.
But what about the saints and the mary-dogmas? Are they also part of the ST and/or written in the CCC?
Yes. The Marian dogmas had been part of Tradition and developed over time. As for the Immaculate Conception, this was actually revealed to us by Mary herself. As to the Assumption, this had been believed by the very early Church. The difference in the Marian dogmas and other teachings is that they were spoken from the Chair of Peter, or ex cathedra, meaning they were spoke infallibly. An infallible teaching must be accepted by the entire Church, no ifs, ands or butts.
Chestertonrulez mentioned before that Jesus taught the Apostels after his resurrection 40 days and that these teachings are not in the Bible (Acts 1:3). -
Even the Bible states that it does not contain everything. You have to consider the source of these comments which were from the third successor to St. Peter in 98 AD, right around the time that the last books of the NT were being written. This is a great example of Tradition. The deposit of faith given to the Church was alive and well within the life and practice of the Church several hundred years before the NT was canonized.
So my problem is: Do these teachings also stand somewhere - or are they lost sort of. - Because I guess this also belongs to the ST.
Because if you say that the ST is identical with the CCC - where would I find then the teachings of Jesus in these 40 days?
Same thing when Paul writes in 1 Tim 3:14-15 that he will come to him and his community (and I suppose teach them).
While the CCC contains Tradition it cannot be said that they are identical, as if, every facet of Tradition is written down. The CCC also contains Scripture, but not every word of scripture is written down in it. You should read the Didache and the early Church Fathers if you want a good idea of Tradition.
Could you say that if you want to know all ST that you also have to read the “apocryphal” letters of the first bishops for example, like Chesertonrules mentioned “Pope Clemens, Epistle to Corinthians, 42, 44”? But then how do I know what is Catholic and what is Gnostic for example (I know i.e. that the Gospel of Thomas is Gnostic)?
Or does this also say in the CCC?
In Christ,
Esdra
I’m not sure one can know “
all ST”. The best way to understand Tradition is to become Catholic and be a part of the life of the Church.
God bless.