Tradition

In Catholicism, the word "tradition" has two distinct but related meanings depending on whether it is given a capital "T" or a lower case "t." Technically, Tradition (with a capital "T") refers to the teaching, life and worship of the Church through which the original teachings of Christ to the apostles is authoritatively passed on through succeeding generations. In this sense, Scripture can be seen as part of Tradition, not as a separate source of authority. In the case of tradition (with a lower case "t"), the concept refers to the customs of separate churches or movements within Catholicism and the content of doctrines and beliefs that are held in common, but which may or may not be considered definitive by official Church teachings. The theological works of "approved authors" may sometimes be included in this latter category (e.g., the writings of St. Thomas Aquinas).

Within official Church teaching, different doctrines are given different "weight" or authority, based on whether the doctrines are viewed as more or less essential to Christian life, the context of the teaching and its source (e.g., Scripture, a General Council, a Papal Encyclical, or a theological pronouncement of a Vatican congregation). The interaction between these two conceptions of "tradition," that is, between Tradition as it is passed on and as it is received and understood, allows for an "authentic" development of doctrine. [On the authority of different levels of Church teaching, see: Ashley, B. and Kevin O’Rourke, Healthcare Ethics: A Theological Analysis, 4^th Edition (Washington, DC: Georgetown University Press, 1997), 184-86.]

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