man made traditions vs apostolic succession

[Texan77]

The Catholic Church is often criticised for having and or following man made traditions - yet as I study various christian denominations I find one who began yet another man made tradition that was different enough to start his/her own denomination…

It seems logical to me that we must have apostolic succession because without it many truths would be lost over time… For example I believe all of us have at one time or another played the game where I told someone in a circle xyz and they continue to repeat what I said by the time it gets back to me - we often find a different story than what I just started.

 

[Mark77]

**Starting your own “church” is the ultimate MAN MADE TRADITION!
**
Sancta Maria, Mater Dei, Ora Pro Nobis Peccatoribus!

mark

 

[Lutheranteach]

The Catholic Church is often criticised for having and or following man made traditions - yet as I study various christian denominations I find one who began yet another man made tradition that was different enough to start his/her own denomination…

It seems logical to me that we must have apostolic succession because without it many truths would be lost over time… For example I believe all of us have at one time or another played the game where I told someone in a circle xyz and they continue to repeat what I said by the time it gets back to me - we often find a different story than what I just started.

I’ve never had apostolic succession fully explained to me. IF it means all I think it means, I would consider it a very nice story, but not much more.

 

[CB_Catholic]

The Catholic Church is often criticised for having and or following man made traditions - yet as I study various christian denominations I find one who began yet another man made tradition that was different enough to start his/her own denomination…

It seems logical to me that we must have apostolic succession because without it many truths would be lost over time… For example I believe all of us have at one time or another played the game where I told someone in a circle xyz and they continue to repeat what I said by the time it gets back to me - we often find a different story than what I just started.

The example in your second paragraph has been frequently used by non-Catholics as an argument against orally passed Sacred Tradition. However, it is difficult to argue that because it cannot be reconciled with the fact that much of the OT was written from oral tradition passed down through many generations and was preserved intact. So if it was possible in OT times, why not in NT times? These people were skilled in memorization, and paid careful attention to what was being related and determined to preserve it. Also, the Gospels themselves were first passed on orally for many years before they were written down, yet they trust that what was written down is the truth.

There is no reason why even today the game you described has to end up with a different story. If we are instructed to pay careful attention, and put our minds to carefully preserving what we have heard, we could pass xyz on exactly as originally related. We are just as intellectually capable as the ancients were. We just need to practice our listening and memorization skills, and that is not that big of a challenge.

So to me, the argument is a straw man. The Apostles and their successors, having come from a culture with strong oral traditions were perfectly capable of passing on Tradition exactly as they heard it, as were succeeding generations.

 

[peary]

The Catholic Church is often criticised for having and or following man made traditions - yet as I study various christian denominations I find one who began yet another man made tradition that was different enough to start his/her own denomination…

It seems logical to me that we must have apostolic succession because without it many truths would be lost over time… For example I believe all of us have at one time or another played the game where I told someone in a circle xyz and they continue to repeat what I said by the time it gets back to me - we often find a different story than what I just started.

But when you play that game, you usually don’t write things down. The Catholic Church has an entire theological history written down that goes back over 2,000 years. It’s called Sacred Tradition.