Skip to content
Ordinary Time

Authority & Sources

Sacred Tradition

TRA-dish-unnoun

The faith handed down from the apostles through the Church's teaching, worship, and life — alongside or under Scripture, depending on the tradition.

Not To Be Confused With

“Sacred Tradition” (capital-T, the apostolic deposit) is not the same as mere human “traditions” (customs), which Jesus criticized when they nullified God's word (Mark 7).

The Greek behind it is paradosis, “what is handed over.” Catholics and Orthodox see Tradition and Scripture as together carrying the one apostolic faith; Protestants affirm tradition's witness but hold Scripture as the final norm — the heart of the Sola Scriptura debate.

Related Terms

Seen In These Debates

Related Word Studies

Sacred Tradition — Definition | Theologos Media