Traditions are not all of the same kind: hence they cannot have the same value, or authority. We distinguish them, first of all, by the manner in which they are transmitted. Some of them had been originally written, others came came to us orally from father to son, or in a practical way as, for instance, through the ceremonies of the Church. For this reason traditions are either written, oral, or practical. Some traditions are called written traditions, because the word traditon may be taken in its widest signification, to include whatever has been delivered to us. In this sense even the Scriptures may be called Traditions.
Secondly, traditions are distinguished by the object they convey, dogmatic, or disciplinary. according as they refer to a fundamental doctrine of the Church, or to some rule or law to be observed by Christians. The doctrines of the Immaculate Conception and of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary into heaven are dogmatic traditions. That Mary was conceived without original sin, in view of the merits of her Divine Son, has always been believed by the faithful, even before its solemn proclamation by the Church.
Some of the disciplinary traditions are so old, we have no record whatever of the time when they were first introduced. Such are Lent; the mixing of water with wine in the Eucharistic celebration; the Baptism of infants.
Traditions are also characterised by their duration - some have remained in vigor to the present day. Others were short lived. They did not stand the test of time. The belief in the Millennium is a case in point.
Certain traditions are found everywhere, while others are only in certain localities. For this reason some are universal, and others are local. It is evident that the universal traditon is more important than the local. Universality is a mark of truth.
There are traditions which impose obligations, as for instance, abstinence. Others are simply counsels or recommendations, as for instance, the vow of poverty. Hence the distinction of preceptive or advisory traditions.
Traditions may be either constitutive or inhesive. The former constitutes a doctrine by itself, which is nowhere found in Scriptures; the latter speaks of a doctrine found in the Scriptures. It is well known that the Holy Eucharist is clearly described in the Scriptures. Still, the same Sacrament is also very well documented in other traditions, especially, in “Doctrine of the Twelve Apostles,” a work which scholars do not place later than the year 80 A.D. Such traditon is called inhesive.
Finally, traditions are either divine or ecclesiastical.
