Scripture and Tradition in the Church

by Patrick Madrid

Publisher:

Freedom Publishing Company

, 2014

Overview

In his latest work, popular author Patrick Madrid explores the issue of Catholic-Protestant relations and the possibility of unification. He does this by analyzing the work of one of the greatest twentieth-century theologians—Fr. Yves Congar. Areas covered include Congar’s ecumenical vocation, the Early Church Fathers, the role of the Holy Spirit in the Church’s transmission of the gospel, St. Thomas Aquinas, and even a discussion on Church development if the Reformation had never happened. This comprehensive work will be of great value to all who are interested in Catholic-Protestant relations and to those who pray and work for unity.

In the Logos edition, this valuable volume is enhanced by amazing functionality. Scripture citations link directly to English translations, and important terms link to dictionaries, encyclopedias, and a wealth of other resources in your digital library. Powerful searches help you to find exactly what you’re looking for. Take the discussion with you using tablet and mobile apps. With Logos Bible Software, the most efficient and comprehensive research tools are in one place, so you get the most out of your study.

Key Features

• Examines Yves Congar’s treatment of the formal versus material sufficiency debate between Protestants and Catholics
• Discusses Congar’s theology of revelation and its implications for the Protestant principle of Sola Scriptura
• Explores Congar’s effort to vindicate Catholic teaching on the importance and authority of tradition

Contents

• Introduction: The Problems of Traditio and Sola Scriptura as Barriers to Ecumenism
• Biographical Overview of Yves Congar, OP
• Congar’s “Ecumenical Vocation”
• Congar on the “Anti-Roman Complex” Rampant in Protestantism and Eastern Orthodoxy
• Sacred Scripture Is Materially but Not Formally Sufficient
• Sacred Tradition and Its Relationship with Scripture and the Magisterium
• The Rift between Protestantism and the Catholic Church
• The Principle of Sola Scriptura according to Luther and Calvin
• Congar’s Irenic Yet Challenging Critique of Sola Scriptura
• The Testimony of the Early Church Fathers
• St. Thomas Aquinas as a Medieval Bridge between the Church Fathers and Trent
• The Development of Doctrine as a Beneficial Byproduct of Tradition
• The Scriptural Data Pertaining to the Harmony of Tradition and Scripture
• The Role of the Holy Spirit in the Church’s Transmission of the Gospel
• Conclusion:
  • The Enduring Challenge of Opposing Ecclesiologies
  • But What if the Protestant Reformation Had Not Happened?

Top Highlights

“Congar carefully distinguishes between Tradition (Traditio) as a category of Divine Revelation that is both written and oral¹³⁸ and which comes to us from God, versus the category of traditions (traditiones), which are human in origin and can be good and bad, helpful or harmful.” (Page 26)

“Congar explains, because Divine Revelation and its transmission to God’s people is not merely the function of human ‘handing down’ of folklore but is superintended by the Holy Spirit in the life of the Church (see John 16:13), Tradition is the Church’s living memory of Christ and the Apostles, what they said and did, what they taught and commanded to be passed down faithfully and intact to all subsequent generations of Christians.” (Page 27)

“Congar presented a key distinction between the concepts of the material and formal sufficiency of Scripture. The doctrine of the material sufficiency of Scripture—which, according to Congar, Catholics can and do admit—affirms that ‘Scripture contains, in one way or another, all truths necessary for salvation’. It does not allow the view, sometimes attributed to Catholics, that ‘we don’t need Scripture because we’ve got the Pope’, or the catechism, or the Tradition. But it also contrasts with the Protestant doctrine of the formal sufficiency of Scripture, which holds that Scripture has ‘an absolute perspicuity’ so that nothing else is needed for access to Divine Revelation and to guarantee its correct interpretation.” (Page v)

“Tradition is ‘the living river that links us to the origins … the great river that leads to the gates of eternity’” (Page vi)

Praise for the Print Edition

The relationship between Scripture, tradition, revelation, and authority is a tangled question in dispute between Catholics and Protestants. Patrick Madrid’s scholarly book analyses this question thoroughly, with the help of the best insights offered by Yves Congar OP in the 20th century. These are ongoing and important questions, intelligently articulated by a Catholic mind well-trained through engagement in modern apologetics.

—Peter Joseph, parish clergy, St. Dominic’s, Flemington, Sydney

Product Details

• Title: Scripture and Tradition in the Church
• Author: Patrick Madrid
• Publisher: Patrick Madrid
• Publication Date: 2014
• Pages: 145

About Patrick Madrid

Patrick Madrid (born 1960), is an American Catholic author, radio host, apologist, the host of several EWTN television and radio series, and the publisher of Envoy Magazine. He is the author of 16 books and booklets on Catholic themes, including the popular Surprised By Truth series of conversion testimony books. He served as vice president for eight years (1988 through 1995) at Catholic Answers.