JoeT
Member
The Logos might be thought of as the begotten (not made) Wisdom of God, a mental Word. The light of faith can be thought of as the ‘light of reason’ as visual effects of His Providence in the world.
Sacred Tradition in the Catholic Church has several senses and usually works through the Magisterium (the teaching arm of the Church). It can be doctrine, an account, i.e. an explanation, the light shining on the substance of faith, or a custom which transmits the teaching of the first century Catholic Church as taught by the Apostles while giving it meaning and relevance to the current age. It was out of Sacred Tradition that we have Sacred Scripture, the written accounts of witnesses of Christ. Scripture is the witness of the Apostles expressly for the authority of the Church [Cf Matthew 18:18; Luke 10:16].
“You [the Church in the persons of the Apostles] are the light of the world. A city seated on a mountain cannot be hid." [Matthew 5:14]
Scripture itself is infallible in so long as it resides in the Catholic Church - as it were, it must be plugged into the power of His Body. Alone the bible becomes the center of the chaotic effects of our own cyclonic passions - each person attempts to light the pages with the power of his individual desires.
Christ’s mission, at least in part, establishes a “Church,” His Kingdom, both as teacher measure and rule. A book alone takes in the light of the reader in order to illuminate the pages; whereas the Church charges the bible to illuminate us in the light of truth. You might recall it was the eunuch who said, ‘how will I know unless someone shows me’ [Cf. Acts 8:31]. The eunuch didn’t read faith he ‘heard’ it, he was enlightened by the Church by the words of the Apostle.
Should we find Scripture to be the Divine Word himself, it would rightly be an object of worship – that is having the infallible spirit of word making the object BOOK a Divine thing. Church Councils, Synods, Fathers, Popes and miracles along with natural reason together form a uniform measure (rule) of faith, whereby the faithful can equate good and discern evil. Miracles are individual extraordinary graces by which we come to understand the Word of God which occasionally they become binding on the whole of the Body of Christ. Natural reasoning requires knowledge of things yet unseen forming a truth revealed over centuries; reasoning in the darkness of ignorance produces more darkness, not light. The Popes and Councils both teach and maintain the meaning of Scripture teaching it to each new generation. They also establish those things binding on all members of the Body of Christ [Cf. Matthew 18:18]. Sacred Tradition and Sacred Scripture together are entwined with all these.
Like an ethical standard or practice in science, Sacred Tradition generationally maintains the transmission of habits (discipline) in putting to practice God’s revelations to man. Words have changed over millennia, sometimes completely reversing in meaning necessitating a body of knowledge keeping the original intent. In short we live and learn within the costumes prevalent in our own era, which may or may not have similarities to Christ’s society 2,000 years ago. Tradition therefore is a measure, keeping constant through the ages the intent of Christ’s meaning. “A man might measure heaven and earth with a reed, but not with a growing reed.” (Heretics, G. K. Chesterton). Likewise, we cannot measure the revealed heavens with customs and language that change generation to generation.
What is your ‘rule of faith’?
JoeT
Sacred Tradition in the Catholic Church has several senses and usually works through the Magisterium (the teaching arm of the Church). It can be doctrine, an account, i.e. an explanation, the light shining on the substance of faith, or a custom which transmits the teaching of the first century Catholic Church as taught by the Apostles while giving it meaning and relevance to the current age. It was out of Sacred Tradition that we have Sacred Scripture, the written accounts of witnesses of Christ. Scripture is the witness of the Apostles expressly for the authority of the Church [Cf Matthew 18:18; Luke 10:16].
“You [the Church in the persons of the Apostles] are the light of the world. A city seated on a mountain cannot be hid." [Matthew 5:14]
Scripture itself is infallible in so long as it resides in the Catholic Church - as it were, it must be plugged into the power of His Body. Alone the bible becomes the center of the chaotic effects of our own cyclonic passions - each person attempts to light the pages with the power of his individual desires.
Christ’s mission, at least in part, establishes a “Church,” His Kingdom, both as teacher measure and rule. A book alone takes in the light of the reader in order to illuminate the pages; whereas the Church charges the bible to illuminate us in the light of truth. You might recall it was the eunuch who said, ‘how will I know unless someone shows me’ [Cf. Acts 8:31]. The eunuch didn’t read faith he ‘heard’ it, he was enlightened by the Church by the words of the Apostle.
Should we find Scripture to be the Divine Word himself, it would rightly be an object of worship – that is having the infallible spirit of word making the object BOOK a Divine thing. Church Councils, Synods, Fathers, Popes and miracles along with natural reason together form a uniform measure (rule) of faith, whereby the faithful can equate good and discern evil. Miracles are individual extraordinary graces by which we come to understand the Word of God which occasionally they become binding on the whole of the Body of Christ. Natural reasoning requires knowledge of things yet unseen forming a truth revealed over centuries; reasoning in the darkness of ignorance produces more darkness, not light. The Popes and Councils both teach and maintain the meaning of Scripture teaching it to each new generation. They also establish those things binding on all members of the Body of Christ [Cf. Matthew 18:18]. Sacred Tradition and Sacred Scripture together are entwined with all these.
Like an ethical standard or practice in science, Sacred Tradition generationally maintains the transmission of habits (discipline) in putting to practice God’s revelations to man. Words have changed over millennia, sometimes completely reversing in meaning necessitating a body of knowledge keeping the original intent. In short we live and learn within the costumes prevalent in our own era, which may or may not have similarities to Christ’s society 2,000 years ago. Tradition therefore is a measure, keeping constant through the ages the intent of Christ’s meaning. “A man might measure heaven and earth with a reed, but not with a growing reed.” (Heretics, G. K. Chesterton). Likewise, we cannot measure the revealed heavens with customs and language that change generation to generation.
What is your ‘rule of faith’?
JoeT