Has the Church contradicted itself in its understanding of sacred Tradition?

[Scott_Waddell]

I have seen every now and then an attempt by non-Catholics to play “Gotcha!” with idea that the partim-partim view (that some teachings are found in Scripture, but others found only in tradition) and material sufficiency view (that all teachings at least can be found implicitly in Scripture) constitute a Catholic contradiction. What is a reasonably simple response to this?

 

[Michelle_Arnold]

That both views are acceptable Catholic opinion and that a Catholic can believe either. What all Catholics must hold to be true is that sacred Tradition is a means by which divine revelation is disseminated. Whether divine revelation is disseminated within the partim-partim framework or the material sufficiency framework has not yet been defined by the Church.

One of the beauties of Catholicism is that there is “space” for the Church to grow in its understanding of the mysteries of God. Such room for stretching allows for differing theological opinions until such time as the Church determines which opinion is correct and defines it as doctrine.