Transmitting the Divine Revelation

St Peter’s PreeminenceTruth Explanation

Christ establisheda Church.

Christ intended to and did establish a Church: “On this rock I will build my Church.”

Christ established avisible Church.

Christ put a real person in charge of his Church so she and her hierarchy would be visible to all.

Christ gave St. Peterauthority over his Church.

Christ gave St. Peter the “keys” of governance; the power to bind and loose denotes authority.

The MissionWhat mission did Christ entrust

to the Apostles?◦Stated in

Matthew 28.18-20 John 20.19-23 Mark 16.15

◦What is unique about each episode?◦Summary: Christ commissions &

sends the Apostles to continue His ministry

The MissionWho endowed & empowered the

Apostles to carry out this mission?

On what day?◦Read Acts 2.1-10

On Pentecost Day, the Holy Spirit transforms the Apostles to be bold witnesses and self-sacrificing martyrs of the Faith

The MissionThe Apostles go out into all the

world to proclaim the GospelAll 12 have territories

◦Peter to Antioch and then Rome◦Thomas to India◦Bartholomew to Armenia◦Simon & Jude to Egypt and Persia

(Iran)Paul goes to the entire Roman

empire

The MissionIMPORTANT: Christ entrusted to

his Apostles the administration of the Sacraments and the spreading of Christian doctrine to every corner of the world.◦This commission does not have a

time limit Until the “close of the age”

◦Therefore, it implies the need to appoint successors who would have the same power and authority as the Apostles

Apostolic SuccessionWhat is Apostolic Succession?

◦Begins with the election of St Matthias

◦The Apostles were the first bishops◦As they go out, the Apostles ordain

successors ◦These successors pledge to

Teach the Faith without change Ordain worthy successors

Apostolic SuccessionContinuity and Faithfulness are the

chief characteristics◦Continuity requires faithfulness to the

teaching◦Faithfulness includes not simply saying the

right things but also transformed behavior (self-sacrifice by holy living) Many of the early bishops were martyrs

The transformation of these ordinary men into bold evangelists is extraordinary (unexplainable ?)in human terms.

Apostolic SuccessionIMPORTANT: Apostolic

Succession is the handing on of authority from the Apostles to their successors, the bishops.

AssignmentRead silently “Sts. Peter and

Paul” (pp. 62– 63)With a partner write and

answer three Focus Questions that touch on the relationship between Sts. Peter and Paul.

TestWednesdayReview on TuesdayVocabulary review (5 sheets on

my website) due on Tuesday◦Will be posted on my website tonight

Essay Questions for the test will be sent to you via email ◦Will be sent on Friday (tomorrow)

TraditionThe word “tradition” means

different things the transmission of customs or beliefs

from generation to generation, or the fact of being passed on in this way members of different castes have by tradition

been associated with specific occupations a long-established custom or belief that has

been passed on from one generation to another: Japan’s unique cultural traditions

an artistic or literary method or style established by an artist, writer, or movement, and subsequently followed by others: visionary works in the tradition of William Blake

TraditionThe theological definition of

“tradition” is a little differentRead aloud the following

statements by St. Paul to see what he means by “Tradition”:◦2 Tm 2:1– 2 ◦1 Cor 11:2◦2 Thes 3:6◦2 Tm 2:2

TraditionWhat do all of these statements

have in common?◦These statements refer to tradition,

that is, the oral preaching of the Apostles

◦Christ taught orally—and so did the Apostles—long before anything was written

TraditionWhat Christ and the Apostles

taught is the Word of God◦Written: Scriptures◦Spoken: Sacred Tradition

Examples of Sacred Tradition

ScripturesAuthor

St. Paul Thirteen Epistles St. Paul is the most prolific author of the New Testament, writing from the late 40s to mid-60s

St. John A Gospel, three Epistles, and the Book of Revelation

St. John was “the disciple Jesus loved.”

St. Luke A Gospel and the Actsof the Apostles

St. Luke, a physician and a disciple of St. Paul, wrote this two-volume work

St. Matthew

A Gospel St. Matthew wrote for Jewish converts to Christianity

The HolySpirit

All the books of the Bible

In antiquity the Holy Spirit guided the human writers to put down what he wanted written, but it is still relevant to us today

Deposit of FaithThe written and spoken Word of

God (Scriptures and Sacred Tradition) is called “the Deposit of Faith”

The Deposit of Faith — all that God has revealed either through speech or in writing — is preserved and safeguarded in the Church

Deposit of FaithHow do we know that what the

Catholic Church teaches today is what Christ and the Apostles taught two millennia ago?◦Christ promised to be with his

disciples until the end of time

Deposit of FaithHow does St. Peter’s status as

the “rock” indicate a guarantee that the Church will teach the truth always?◦Christ stated, “The powers of death

shall not prevail” against the Church, which indicates that he gave his Church the grace to teach correctly what he had revealed.

Deposit of FaithWhat power enables the Church

to always teach the truth?◦The “Spirit of Truth,” or the Holy

Spirit, enables her.

MagisteriumThe Magisterium is the servant of

the Word of God, teaching only what has been handed on from the Apostles. With the help of the Holy Spirit, the Magisterium guards the Deposit of Faith devotedly and expounds it faithfully.

MagisteriumWhat should be the Catholic

faithful’s attitude toward the decisions of the Magisterium?◦They should listen to the

Magisterium with the docility (humble obedience) they would show to the Apostles or Christ himself.

MagisteriumWhat does the Magisterium

interpret?◦It interprets the Word of God

authentically, both in written form and in the form of tradition.

MagisteriumHow did the early Church resolve

the dispute about to what extent the first Christians had to follow the rites and prescriptions of the Old Law?◦The Apostles gathered in council with

St. Peter and made a decision that was binding on the whole Church.

◦Councils continued on until today The first seven are the most important The latest council was Vatican II

TestWednesdayReview on TuesdayVocabulary review (5 sheets on

my website) due on Tuesday◦Will be posted on my website tonight

Essay Questions for the test will be sent to you via email ◦Will be sent on Friday (tomorrow)