What is tradition?

[SAVINGRACE]

I have read articles where it states “according to tradition this is the house that Mary lived with St John in Ephesus” or “according to tradition this is the birthplace of Christ”.

What is it? How reliable is it? How is it tested?

Thank you.

 

[tweedlealice]

I have read articles where it states “according to tradition this is the house that Mary lived with St John in Ephesus” or “according to tradition this is the birthplace of Christ”.

What is it? How reliable is it? How is it tested?

Thank you.

Salutations in Christ,
Before the Bible was put togther, verbal traditions kept the stories of Jesus alive.
Tradition is putting up Christmas decorations and the littlest one gets picked up to put the star on top. Or Aunt Peggy always brings her homemade pies to Thanksgiving dinner.
See the movie, THE FIDDLER ON THE ROOF.
in Christ’s love
Tweedlealice
May your New Year be Holy and Blessed.

 

[Gorgias]

I have read articles where it states “according to tradition this is the house that Mary lived with St John in Ephesus” or “according to tradition this is the birthplace of Christ”.

What is it? How reliable is it? How is it tested?

In this context, the word ‘tradition’ is used in a way that only means that it’s an understanding that has been passed down over time. So, in these cases you mention, it simply means that, over the past 2000 years, these locations have been believed to be what they’re purported to be by the earliest Christians. There’s really no way to prove these assertions.

(In other contexts, the term ‘tradition’ means other things. The term “Holy Tradition” is one that the Catholic Church uses to describe the living transmission of the Word of God through the Apostles and their successors. The Catechism defines this term pretty thoroughly.)