Divine Revelation: A Summary

Divine Revelation God chose to reveal Himself and make known the mystery of His will Mystery: A truth that cannot be discovered by man alone and that cannot be fully known or expressed by man’s finite mind. God’s revelation of Himself is an invitation of friendship Revelation is initiated by God. There are certain truths we can come to know and deduce through reason. However, some things we can only come to know through revelation. There are certain truths we can only know because God has chosen to reveal them to us.

How Has Divine Revelation Been Handed on? God has ensured that His revelation of Himself to us will remain whole and complete and be handed on to all generations until the end of time. Tripod of Truth Sacred Tradition Sacred Scripture Magisterium Our Protestant brother and sisters believe that the only source of Revelation is the Bible. As Catholics we believe that both Sacred Scripture and Sacred Tradition are the sources of Revelation. In order to ensure that these two sources are preserved and interpreted correctly, Christ gave us the Magisterium, which is known as the Teaching office of the Church. The Magisterium is made up of the Bishops in union with the Pope. The Magisterium has been entrusted with the task of preserving and handing on the deposit of Faith.

Revelation Handed On Revelation has been handed down to us through the Apostles. It has been handed on in two ways Orally In Writing This is continued today through Apostolic Succession. Revelation has been handed onto us through the Apostles through oral and written Tradition. This makes logical sense. In the time of the Apostles oral tradition was actually considered more trust worthy and valuable. Oral tradition was the norm of how things were passed on. Written tradition came later.

Apostolic Succession “In order that the full and living Gospel might always be preserved in the Church, the Apostles left Bishops as their successors. They gave them their own position of Teaching Authority” (CCC 77). There is a direct line of ordination from all the Bishops back to the Apostles. The Pope, is the Bishop of Rome and the Successor of Peter, the first Pope. It makes good common sense that Jesus would leave in place a governing body to interpret and hand on the written and oral tradition of the Church. If our founding Father’s were smart enough to establish the supreme court to help interpret the Constitution of the United States, don’t you think Jesus would be smart enough to leave behind the Magisterium in order to help us interpret the Bible more effectively?

Authority The Task of giving interpretation to Scripture and tradition has been entrusted to the teaching office of the Church. The Teaching office is called the Magisterium. The Magisterium is made up of the Bishops in Union with the Pope (The Bishop of Rome). “Yet the Magisterium is not superior to the Word of God, but is its servant. It teaches only what has been handed on to it” (CCC 86) Authority and Hierarchy are a natural part of life. Every society in human history has been governed by some sort of authority. Without true authority you get what has resulted from the Protestant reformation: Hundreds of Christian denominations. Christ has blessed us with a Church to help guide us and serve us.

Divine Revelation: A Summary The Father Reveals himself through his Creation and Adam and Eve. God reveals himself through Abraham, Moses and the Prophets. The Father Sends the Son. Jesus Commissions the 12 Apostles. Peter, along with the other Apostles form the 1st Magisterium.

Divine Revelation: A Summary The Pope is given the gift of Infallibility Infallibility: the charism (gift) to teach without error on issues of faith and morals. It is on specific matters, not science, math, sports They Leave Successors which are called Bishops. Bishops ordain Priests to help in their ministry. They then pass along the message of the Gospel to all the Faithful (Us). It is their job to hand on The Deposit of Faith This is all Guided by the Holy Spirit