What does the Holy Mother Church mean?

Question

In a online Catholic Bible Study they refer to the Holy Mother Church? Then they go on to say; "Sacred Tradition (CAPITAL T) - these are the teachings of Holy Mother the Church which MUST be believed by all the Catholic Faithful." What are the Sacred Traditions? What if I can't get myself to believe is all these Sacred Traditions? But get this, it goes on to say; "tradition (small t) - these are the stories of the saints and the church, while usually edifying to the Faith, are not required for belief." Where does Jesus fit in all this?

OK.....now I would like to here from some Catholics.

Answer 1

This is two different questions.

First, tradition (paradosis in scripture) means to hand on. Sacred tradition is that tradition which was specifically handed on by the apostles and includes services, songs, the scriptures, stories, teachings, beliefs, and art (Luke painted). Tradition with a little t, such as the rosary is not essential and can be used or disposed of depending upon its value to the people. Some things sit in both camps, both little t and big T, where little t is a particular expression of big T but whose form is actually irrelevant and varies across the Church. An example of this is the unleavened bread used in Roman Churches and leavened bread in Byzantine services for communion. The big T component is the bread and its meaning (see John's Gospel Chapter 6), the little t component is the reason for using or not using yeast. (Not using is because Jesus would have not used leaven in the passover bread and leaven because Jesus is the Leaven).

The Church is our Holy Mother is harder to explain. If you go into a very old Church or most Byzantine Churches you will see pictures (icons) of Mary and John the Forerunner (the Baptist) on either side of him and the Apostles and Angels. Ancient Christianity was a family religion in every way shape and form. Jesus had a family and we are a part of it. The Hebrew word for Holy is also the same word for marriage and it means "to set aside." The Church is set aside for us. Likewise, in John's Gospel and in Revelations Mary, Christ's Mother, is an image of the Church. She is our mother. If He is our brother, then she is our mother. The Church nourishes us as a mother does. We have a Father in Heaven, the Church is Christ's Body, the Spirit dwells within it. In Revelations, Christ is Born from a Woman who conquers Satan. The Church bears Christ into the world as Mary did the first time. We are all called to bear Christ and to accept the will of the Father as she did. We are called to magnify Mary by being like her. To glorify her (in Hebrew the commandment to Honor your Mother has a meaning like "your honor' when speaking to a judge, a better translation is glorify) in imitation of Christ is a way honoring Christ. We give her glory by bringing her Son into the world and making Him present to all people in faith, prayer, the scriptures, good works and the sacraments. The use of the idea of Holy Mother Church is very ancient and is very ancient poetry lost on many Protestants.

Now, how to get these traditions. Catholics absorb them and don't realize it. They often cannot place why they do or think things a particular way. You can find them in the ancient writers who were trained by the apostles or the immediate generation afterwords. Not all the writings are translated into English particularly the Syriac (of which Aramaic the language of Jesus is a dialect). Still, pick up a Catholic catechism or attend a Catholic service and you are seeing the current expressions of that tradition. Get the Catechism of the Catholic Church online at http://www.usccb.org/catechism/text/ . Also, the scriptures are part of that Tradition. If you really read them, then you are reading a lot of the Tradition.

Jesus is what Tradition transmits, Holy Mother Church is the Godbearer into the world today.

Answer 2

+ Holy Mother Church +

The Bible calles the Church the bride of Christ. The bride of our Savior loves, nurtures, and teaches us like a mother. Therefore the Church is sometimes called our mother.

+ Holy Tradition +

The Catholic Church does not use Holy Scripture as the only basis of doctrine. It could not. The early Catholic church existed before and during the time that the New Testament was written (by Catholics).

There were hundreds of Christian writings during the first and second centuries. Which New Testament writings would become official was not fully decided until about 400 AD.

Catholics believe that the Holy Spirit was guiding the early church (and is guiding the church today) to make the correct choices about things like:
- The Holy Trinity (which is also only hinted at in the Bible)
- Going to church on Sunday instead of Saturday (which is actually directly against one of the Ten Commandments)
- The Communion of Saints
- Which writings include in the New Testament?

Things that are even more modern like
- Slavery is bad. Slavery is never declared evil in the Bible. This is one of the justifications for slavery in the Confederate States.
- Democracy is good. The Bible states that either God should be the leader of the nation like Israel before the kings or kings should be the leader, "Give to Caesar that which is Caesar's." This was talked about a lot during the American Revolution.

This second source of doctrine is called Holy Tradition.

With love in Christ.

Answer 3

Holy Mother Church

Answer 4

The Church is our true mother on Earth, she should be Holy, Holy Mother Church is a title. Jesus is the fronder of the Holy Catholic Church and he said the first Mass at that last supper our faith is based upon God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. Our Mass has more of the Bible than non-catholics know.
I hope I told you what your looking for.

Answer 5

I wouldn't worry about his if I were you. Choose to read your Bible, and believe it. What men concoct and call sacred traditions has nothing to do with what Jesus taught. In fact the bible tells us to be wary of traditions. Mark 7:13
Making the word of God of none effect through your tradition, which ye have delivered: and many such like things do ye.
It is easy to do it just because others are doing it and because we do not want to offend, but if your religion becomes empty because of your tradition, and you do things without meaning or understanding, what good is it? Faith in God is something of the heart...not the head, and not of tradition. God looks at your heart. So serve Him the way the Bible tells you, not the way men tell you. Read the book and learn from it. Start in St John.

Answer 6

The Roman catholic cult has a lot of nonsence like that. The masses of those decieved by that cult believe that the RC cult was the "first "church" and is "the only church"... They have made up their own religion and set of rules in oposition to the Salvation Message of Jesus The Christ. ..

You may safely ignore them without endangering you immortal soul... Those who only know The RC doctrin and dogman do not know The Truth of Salvation. It is against their own law to even say they are saved by God's Free Gift of Salvation...their own pope dose not know if he is going to heaven or not... That alone is proof they are not of The True Christian Faith... as that kind of teaching is compleatly against Jesus' teaching.

Only Those who come to God in The Way He proscribes and receive His free gift of Salvation will enter Heaven.

Answer 7

Jesus and the Catholic church are at odds... in fact the whole setup is condemned in the Revelation of John by our Saviour and will be destroyed: Research this: Nicolaitanes... and see how God and our Saviour feels about them.

one other thing; the holy mother church is the great harlot spoken of in the revelation... be careful.

And think of this. it is forbidden to have idols or to make any likeness of anything that is in heaven... or even to bow down to them... but the first thing you see in practically any catholic church... is the caucassion woman whom it is said to be the mother of The Christ... but there is no substantiation for that... the place and way is full of lies and deceit... trust the Word of God: KJV Bible for your truths... trust God, and HE will reveal His truths to you.

Answer 8

The Catholic religion is just hard to understand, and for the most part, seems to go completely against the Bible from what I can see.

Answer 9

I'll say it again -
God was created by man to control men!
It was nessecary, women are more spiritual men are warriors you've got some research to do to answer those questions-
but seek and you will find!