In this OCIA session, we explore how Sacred Scripture and Sacred Tradition work together as two sides of the same divine revelation. Far from being opposed, they form one unified source of truth—guarded by the Church and guided by the Holy Spirit. Discover why Sola Scriptura fails its own test, how we received the Biblical canon, and what the Catholic Church means when it speaks of Tradition.
Whether you’re new to the faith or deepening your understanding, this class offers a clear, thoughtful look at one of the most misunderstood doctrines in Christianity.
⏱️ Timestamps
00:00 — Introduction: The importance of Scripture and Tradition
01:15 — Why Scripture was given
03:40 — What Scripture is and how it is “God-breathed”
07:00 — Personal vs. public interpretation of Scripture
09:45 — Warnings about private interpretation (2 Peter 3, Matthew 4)
12:10 — The Church as “Pillar and Foundation of Truth” (1 Tim 3:15)
14:00 — Understanding Sola Scriptura and Prima Scriptura
17:20 — Problems with Sola Scriptura: self-defeating logic
21:10 — How do we know what books belong in the Bible?
25:00 — The “Canon” problem and the mushroom analogy
28:15 — RC Sproul’s statement on the “fallible collection of infallible books”
31:45 — How the Church defined the Canon (Councils of Rome, Hippo, Carthage)
36:20 — The Old Testament: Hebrew vs. Greek (Septuagint and Deuterocanon)
42:30 — Christ’s use of the Septuagint and the Sadducees debate
46:40 — Formation of the New Testament Canon
51:00 — Why we need an interpretive authority like the Church
54:00 — The impracticality of Sola Scriptura: access, literacy, and history
59:00 — Reliability of the New Testament texts
1:02:00 — What is Tradition? Apostolic preaching and living transmission
1:07:00 — Distinguishing Sacred Tradition from cultural traditions
1:10:30 — Scriptural affirmations of oral Tradition (2 Thess 2:15, 1 Cor 11:2)
1:13:30 — Wisdom from Augustine and Chesterton on Tradition
1:17:00 — Closing thoughts and next steps
📚 Resources Mentioned
Catechism of the Catholic Church, §§ 75-83
Summa Theologica (1:1:8), St. Thomas Aquinas
The Literal Interpretation of Genesis, St. Augustine
Orthodoxy, G.K. Chesterton
RCIA Playlist (Video Series)
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