Sacred Tradition and Sacred Scripture

Questions and even strong objections are often raised about the Catholic Church’s acceptance of Sacred Tradition as a source of divine revelation. For some, the idea that revelation comes not only from Scripture but also from Tradition can seem surprising or even controversial. Yet the Church, with deep conviction and unwavering faith, continues to teach that divine revelation is transmitted through two inseparable channels: Sacred Scripture and Sacred Tradition.

The Church firmly holds that Sacred Scripture is the Word of God—divinely inspired, yet written through human authors. What the Bible teaches is true and trustworthy, for God Himself is its ultimate author, and God does not deceive. Because of this, belief in Scripture naturally leads to an openness to Sacred Tradition as well. This is not because Tradition competes with Scripture, but because Scripture itself points beyond its written pages to a living transmission of the faith.

The New Testament provides clear indications that not everything revealed by Christ was written down. The evangelist John concludes his Gospel by acknowledging that Jesus did many other things which were not recorded, noting that “if every one of them were written down, the world itself could not contain the books that would be written” (John 21:25). This suggests that the fullness of Christ’s teaching and actions was greater than what was preserved in writing.

Similarly, St. Paul emphasizes the importance of both written and oral transmission. In his second letter to the Thessalonians, he urges believers to “stand firm and hold fast to the traditions that you were taught by us, either by word of mouth or by letter” (2 Thessalonians 2:15). Here, Paul explicitly places oral teaching alongside written instruction as authoritative. He echoes this idea when writing to the Corinthians, praising them for maintaining the traditions he had passed on to them (1 Corinthians 11:2). These passages show that the early Christian community did not rely on written texts alone but also on teachings handed down orally.

For this reason, the Catholic Church—understanding itself as apostolic, founded on the teaching of the apostles—teaches that divine revelation has been handed on in two complementary ways: orally and in writing.

Orally, revelation was transmitted by the apostles through their preaching, their example, and the institutions they established. As the Catechism of the Catholic Church explains, the apostles passed on what they had received from Christ Himself—whether from His words, His actions, or through the guidance of the Holy Spirit (CCC 76). This living transmission is what the Church calls Sacred Tradition.

In writing, this same message of salvation was committed to Scripture by the apostles and their close collaborators, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit (CCC 76). These writings form the Bible, which the Church reveres as the inspired Word of God.

Because both Sacred Tradition and Sacred Scripture originate from the same divine source—the Holy Spirit—they are not in conflict but are deeply united. Together, they form a single deposit of faith entrusted to the Church. This unity is why the Catholic Church teaches certain doctrines that may not be explicitly detailed in Scripture but are nonetheless rooted in the apostolic faith handed down through Tradition. One example often cited is the doctrine of purgatory, which the Church understands as consistent with the broader witness of revelation.

Finally, the Catholic Church maintains that it is uniquely entrusted with the preservation and interpretation of this deposit of faith. As the Church that traces its origins directly to the apostles, it sees itself as the custodian of both Sacred Scripture and Sacred Tradition, faithfully safeguarding and transmitting them from generation to generation.

In this way, Scripture and Tradition are not rivals but partners—two modes through which the same divine truth reaches humanity, inviting all people into a deeper understanding of God’s revelation.