13. In what ways does
Apostolic Tradition occur? 76
Apostolic
Tradition occurs in two ways: through the living transmission
of the word of God (also simply called Tradition) and through Sacred
Scripture which is the same proclamation of salvation in written
form.
12. What is Apostolic
Tradition? 75-79,
83,
96, 98
Apostolic
Tradition is the transmission of the message of Christ, brought about from the very
beginnings of Christianity by means of preaching, bearing witness,
institutions, worship, and inspired writings. The apostles
transmitted all they received from Christ and learned from the Holy Spirit
to their successors, the bishops, and through them to all
generations until the end of the world.
11. Why and in
what way is divine revelation transmitted? 74
God “desires all men to
be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth” (1 Timothy2:4), that is,of Jesus Christ. For this reason,
Christ must be proclaimed to all according to his own command, “Go
forth and teach all nations” (Matthew28:19). And this is brought about by Apostolic
Tradition
While not
belonging to the deposit of faith, private revelations may help a person to
live the faith as long as they lead us to Christ. The Magisterium of the
Church, which has the duty of evaluating such private revelations, cannot
accept those which claim to surpass or correct that definitive Revelation which
is Christ.
9. What is the full and
definitive stage of God's Revelation? 65-66
73 The full and
definitive stage of God’s revelation is accomplished in his Word
made flesh, Jesus Christ, the mediator and fullness of Revelation.
He, being the only-begotten Son of God made man, is the perfect and definitive Word of
the Father. In the sending of the Son and the gift of the Spirit, Revelation
is now fully complete,although
the faith of the Church must gradually grasp its full
significance over the course of centuries.
“In giving us his Son, his
only and definitive Word, God spoke
everything to us at once in this sole Word, and he has no more to say.”(Saint John of the Cross)
8. What are the next stages of
God's Revelation? 59-64
72
God chose Abram,
calling him out of his country, making him “the father of a multitude of
nations” (Genesis17:5),
and promising to bless in him “all the nations of the earth” (Genesis12:3). The people descended from
Abraham would be the trustee of the divine promise made to the patriarchs. God
formed Israel as his chosen people, freeing them from slavery in Egypt,
establishing with them the covenant of Mount Sinai, and, through Moses,
giving them his law. The prophets proclaimed a radical redemption of the
people and a salvation which would include all nations
in a new
and everlasting covenant. From the people of Israel and from
the house of King David, would be born the Messiah, Jesus.
7. What are the first stages
of God's Revelation? 54-58
70-71
From the very
beginning, God manifested himself to our first parents, Adam and Eve, and
invited them to intimate communion with himself. After their fall, he did not
ceasehis revelation to
them but promised salvation for all their descendants. After the flood, he made
a covenant with Noah, a covenant between himself and all living beings.