Lesson 17: Scripture and Holy Tradition

This lesson is about the relationship of Holy Tradition, the Bible and the Orthodox Church. It is important to know about the Bible’s source and its authority for the Truth. The New Testament is a collection of books from Apostolic times. The books that ended up in what we now know as the New Testament were given authority by the Church. So it’s important to think of the Church as the foundation and keeper of the Truth. The Church was not created by New Testament Scripture, but this Scripture was passed on to us from the authority of the Church. We must remember that the Church is not a building or an organization as commonly thought so often in today’s secular word, but it is the Body of Christ on Earth. It is sacred. It is mystical. Its head is Christ Himself.

For several hundred years the Church relied on Tradition based on what the Apostles had been taught by Christ. When Holy Tradition is combined with the Scripture we have a more complete understanding of the Truth of the Christian Faith.

View the Video below.

 After you have viewed the video, answer briefly these questions: