Question 3 – The Hand-Me-Down Tradition Fallacy by Turretin Fan

As we saw in Question 2, the position of pope Pius XII is that (as I had observed regarding Catholicism) there are three tradition categories, i.e. “together with the sources [Scripture and Hand-Me-Down Tradition (HMDT)] … a living Teaching Authority [Interpretative Authority Tradition (IAT)].” In the section of your rebuttal entitled “The Fallacy of ‘Hand Me Down Tradition’ Argument” it is unclear whether you simply disagree with P12, are unaware of the differences between those two sources and the teaching authority, or possibly just were misunderstood by myself. I had previously pointed out that, at best, all of the quotations you had provided related to asserted HMDT-category traditions, none related to IAT-category traditions – and even now it does not appear that your newest quotation from Origen falls in a different category.

Furthermore, when we turn to noted early Christian writers we tend to see a theme among them of not attributing infallibility to ought but Scripture:

Augustine wrote: “God alone swears securely, because He alone is infallible.” Psalm 89, See In Psalmum LXXXVIII Enarratio, Sermo I, PL 37:1122.

Theophilus of Alexandria wrote: “It would be the instigation of a demonical spirit to follow the conceits of the human mind, and to think anything divine, beyond what has the authority of the Scriptures.” (Epistle 96)

Jerome wrote: “Some may say: ‘You are forcing the Scripture, that is not what it means.’ Let Holy Writ be its own interpreter …” On the Psalms, Homily 6.

Ambrose wrote: “Follow the Scriptures, so that ye cannot err.” Commentary on Luke, Book II, §12.

Augustine wrote: "Neither weigh we the writings of all men, be they never so worthy and catholic, as we weigh the canonical Scriptures; but that saving the reverence that is due unto them, we may mislike and refuse somewhat in their writings, if we find that they have thought otherwise, than the truth may bear. Such am I in the writings of others, and such would I wish others to be in mine." Epistle to Fortunatus, No. 111

And again Augustine wrote: “Take away from amongst us any of our own books; let the book of God come amongst us: hear what Christ saith: hearken what the truth speaketh.” Sermon on Psalm 57.

And finally Augustine wrote: “Especially as in writings of such authors I feel myself free to use my own judgment (owing unhesitating assent to nothing but the canonical Scriptures), whilst in fact there is not a passage which he has quoted from the works of this anonymous author that disturbs me.” On Nature and Grace, Chapter 71.
In view of such evidence, and leaving aside the undocumentable (no serious papist apologists claim to be able to identify specific sayings of Jesus or the Apostles that were passed down) category of HMDT, what is the earliest you can document the church fathers teaching that there exists an infallible teaching authority, to somehow document this category of IAT? The qualification that it be an infallible teaching authority is an important part of this question, because there is no doubt that the eldership serves as a living teaching authority (as WCF XXV:III states: “Unto this catholic and visible Church, Christ hath given the ministry, oracles, and ordinances of God, for the gathering and perfecting of the saints, in this life, to the end of the world; and doth by his own presence and Spirit, according to his promise, make them effectual thereunto.”). So, to be clear, what is being requested is the earliest clear testimony you can produce for infallible IAT (not infallible Scriptures, or even infallible HMDT) – clear testimony that is at least as clear as that of Augustine, Theophilus, Ambrose, and Jerome.



Answer to Question 3 by Matthew Bellisario

There are several early writings that refer to the interpretive aspect of Sacred Tradition such as Tertullion writing around the year 200 as well as Origin and St. Athanasius for starters.

Tertullian, Demurrer Against the Heretics (200 A.D.):"Wherever it shall be clear that the truth of the Christian discipline and faith are present, there also will be found the truth of the Scriptures and of their explanation, and of all the Christian traditions."

But what is more important is we see the early Fathers and writers of the Church appealing to Tradition in their interpretation of Sacred Scripture all of the time in their writings. For instance how does Origin arrive at his interpretation of Baptism in his writings? He does it by appealing to the Tradition of the Church. Of course if he does so it must mean he is doing so under a pretext that it is infallible in its meaning.

Origen
"Every soul that is born into flesh is soiled by the filth of wickedness and sin. . . . In the Church, baptism is given for the remission of sins, and, according to the usage of the Church, baptism is given even to infants. If there were nothing in infants which required the remission of sins and nothing in them pertinent to forgiveness, the grace of baptism would seem superfluous" (Homilies on Leviticus 8:3 [A.D. 248]).

"The Church received from the apostles the tradition of giving baptism even to infants. The apostles, to whom were committed the secrets of the divine sacraments, knew there are in everyone innate strains of [original] sin, which must be washed away through water and the Spirit" (Commentaries on Romans 5:9 [A.D. 248]).

Does Origin here have to expound any further on how he is coming up with his interpretation? He does it through the Church as so many Church Fathers do. For instance St. Athanasius in the 4th century constantly admonishes the Arians by their misinterpretation of Sacred Scripture. He appeals to the Tradition of the Church as being an infallible teacher. Although many times he uses the Sacred Scriptures in a "sufficient" context, it is quite clear that he does so under the pretext that it is done within the interpretive construct of the Church, and not solely his own interpretation. If he admonishes the Arians and their heresy it must done in understanding that the Church's interpretation is the infallible one in Tradition handed down, since the Arian interpretation is obviously heretical.

St. Athanasius says,

“However here too they (Arians) introduce their private fictions, and contend that the Son and the Father are not in such wise 'one,' or 'like,' as the Church preaches, but as they themselves would have it" Orat 3,10”

He clearly demonstrates that indeed those who refer to the Sacred Scriptures alone without what has been handed down is in error,

"But after him (the devil) and with him are all inventors of unlawful heresies, who indeed refer to the Scriptures, but do not hold such opinions as the saints have handed down, and receiving them as the traditions of men, err, because they do not rightly know them nor their power" Festal Letter 2

We must once again read these writings in their proper and full context when dealing with these subjects. These are very early sources as St Athansaius wrote these in the 4th century, and clearly refers to an interpretive aspect of the Sacred Scriptures in Sacred Tradition when he emphasizes, “who indeed refer to the Scriptures, but do not hold such opinions as the saints have handed down.” We must not look to the Fathers or writings of the early Church as specific proof-texts explicitly spelled out for each doctrine proclaimed by the Church. We can however see many times plainly how the Church Fathers or other early writers derive at their interpretations of Sacred Scripture. For as Adrian Fortescue (2008) rightly spoke, “We must not forget that the Fathers did not write their letters or preach their sermons with a view to supplying evidences of the faith of their time for future controversialists.” Therefore I urge you to read the Fathers in their full context and not use the fallacy of selective emphasis once again to substantiate your errors. It is quite clear that we have here a very early example of a Saint appealing to the Tradition of the Church to arrive at a correct and infallible understanding of the Sacred Scriptures when refuting the heretical Arian position demonstrated here. He does not appeal to Sacred Scripture outside of this understanding.

Fortescue, Adrian. The Greek Fathers. San Francisco: Ignatius, 2008. (Original Publication 1908 London, Catholic Truth Society)