DIVINE REVELATION
GOD’S SELF DISCLOSURE TO MAN
THE CONDITION FOR KNOWING AND LOVING GOD
GOD’S PERSONAL LOVING COMMUNICATION TO MAN
WHO HE IS… HIS PLAN OF SALVATION…
LIMITATION OF HUMAN REASON:
WE MAY KNOW THAT GOD EXISTSBUT WE CANNOT KNOW WHO OR WHAT GOD
IS…
HENCE, GOD COMMUNICATES TO US IN VARIOUS WAYS:
A. EVENTS
1. CREATION: First act of God’s
revelation
2. HISTORY: In the story of our
lives seen through the eyes
of faith
3. PROPHETS: They reveal the
meaning of historical events.
They convey the message of God by reading the signs of
the times.
B. PERSONS
1. JESUS CHRIST The fullness of God’s
revelation
2. CHURCH As we participate in the church, we participate in
revelation
TRANSMISSION OF DIVINE REVELATION
SO THAT ALL THAT GOD HAD REVEALED FOR THE SALVATION OF MAN SHOULD REMAIN IN THEIR
ENTIRETY THROUGHOUT THE AGES AND BE TRANSMITTED TO ALL GENERATIONS
A. APOSTOLIC TRADITION
1. ORALBY SPOKEN WORD
BY THE EXAMPLE THEY GAVEBY THE INSTITUTIONS THEY
ESTABLISHED
2. WRITINGSBy the APOSTLES and MEN Associated with the apostles who wrote the message of
salvation under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit
B. APOSTOLIC SUCCESSION
BISHOPS: SUCCESSORS OF THE APOSTLES THROUGH WHICH THE TEACHING AUTHORITY WAS HANDED DOWN AND THE MESSAGE IS PRESERVED IN A CONTINUOUS LINE OF
SUCCESSION…UNTIL THE END OF TIME
THE TRANSMISSION IS CALLED TRADITION
ACCOMPLISHED IN THE HOLY SPIRITDISTINCT FROM THE SCRIPTURES
RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN TRADITION AND SCRIPTURES
1. COMMON SOURCE: JESUS CHRIST
2. THEY ARE TWO DISTINCT MODES OF TRANSMISSION:
SCRIPTURE:Speech of God put down into writing
under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit
TRADITION:Transmits in its
entirety the Word of God which has been
entrusted to the apostles
HENCE, BOTH SCRIPTURE AND TRADITION MUST BE ACCEPTED
AND HONORED WITH EQUAL SENTIMENTS OF DEVOTION AND
REVERENCE