Question for Catholics about Apostolic Tradition.?

Question

Can you Provide a single example of where inspired Apostolic "oral revelation" (tradition) differed from "written" (scripture)?

Answer 1

Therefore, brothers, stand firm and hold fast to the traditions that you were taught, either by an oral statement or by a letter of ours. (2 Thessalonians 2:15)

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 was 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 Apostolic Tradition.

Do Christians who do not allow the continuing guiding force of the Holy Spirit to make their beliefs more and more perfect, still endorse slavery as Colossians 3:22 commands, "Slaves, obey your human masters in everything"?

We instruct you, brothers, in the name of (our) Lord Jesus Christ,to shun any brother who conducts himself in a disorderly way and not according to the tradition they received from us. (2 Thessalonians 3:6)

I praise you because you remember me in everything and hold fast to the traditions, just as I handed them on to you. (1 Corinthians 11:2)

With love in Christ.

Answer 2

Your premise is false, on it's face.

Apostolic Tradition is NEVER at odds with scripture.

Apostolic Tradition is the "mortar" that holds the scriptures together, and gives the scriptures their distinctive form, flavor, and clarity.

The entire new testament of the Bible is a product of Apostolic Tradition, as everything contained therein was first taught and transmitted orally, by the apostles, and by their duly ordained scribes and assistants.

The compete understanding of scripture, which is not complete in itself, no matter what the late day reformers would like to assert, is absolutely dependent upon apostolic tradition, as no one who came to the "party" 1500 years after the fact, could possibly hope to fathom the true meaning of scripture, without a clear and authentic knowledge of all the people, places, understandings, and experiences of the original apostles and disciples.

The life of St. John is probably the best example of how Apostolic Tradition illuminates the scriptures, as well as the whole church.

St. John also became the last living apostle, and the one who passed along a veritable treasure trove of true stories and true accounts of his life with Jesus, Mary, and all the other apostles, plus many additional details he learned directly from the risen Christ, but never wrote down in the Book of Revelation, his gospel, his letters, or anywhere else.

Many of the early church fathers, some of whom were disciples, or disciples once removed, of St. John, write of these, in their own great works.

The Catholic Church has always faithfully preserved and treasured these and other unique, eye-witness accounts, and with the help of the Holy Spirit, used them to develop a sublime sense of authentic Christian spirituality, which is simply unattainable for those who refuse to recognize their inherent and profound value.

Those who showed up 1500 years late, after most of the world had already been converted for Christ, and who chose to deny all the faith, and all the authentic Christian labor, sufferings, experiences, and understandings of those who had come before, left behind much, much more than just the Pope.

They discarded, and then attempted to trample, the very heart of the only authentic Christian Church, that will always remain one, holy, catholic, and apostolic, simply because God wants it to be.

St. John would have told you that, too.

Answer 3

No, it does not differ from scripture and is in line with the early Church Fathers who were closely associated with the Apostles.
Some people's interpretation of scripture might lead them to think differently.

Answer 4

Here are Bible verses for the following:

Scripture Alone Disproves "Scripture Alone"
http://www.scripturecatholic.com/scripture_alone.html

The Word of God is Transferred Orally
http://www.scripturecatholic.com/oral_tradition.html
.