Recently, Pope Leo XIV emphasized a foundational Church teaching that Sacred Scripture and Tradition are inseparable, forming a single, living Deposit of Faith that grows within the Church. Drawing on Dei Verbum, he stressed that both flow from the same divine source, requiring the Church to interpret and live out God’s Word under the Holy Spirit.1
What does this mean for Catholics today? Does the average Catholic understand what the Pope means by “Scripture” and “Tradition”?
The Church teaches that God revealed himself through words and deeds. This Revelation from God is handed down in both Sacred Scripture and Sacred Tradition—and they belong together to form one Deposit of Faith.
So what are Scripture and Tradition?
Sacred Scripture is easily defined and widely accepted as the Word of God in written form. Most Christians believe this. The bigger question is, where does Tradition come in, and why do Catholics not believe the Bible is enough on its own?
Although Sacred Tradition includes all of the Word of God (see CCC 81), what distinguishes it from Sacred Scripture is that it is the “living transmission” of God’s Word in the Church (CCC 78). It’s how the teachings of Jesus were first shared by the apostles—through preaching, teaching, and lived faith—before they were ever written down. But it didn’t stop there. Guided by the Holy Spirit, the Church continues to preserve, understand, and pass on that same truth in every generation from the same Deposit of Faith.
To this day, Tradition isn’t about customs or habits. It’s about actively and faithfully handing on what Jesus taught the disciples and instructed them to pass along so that his message stays alive and active through every generation. This is why Tradition is referred to as a “living transmission.”
Why can’t Scripture and Tradition be separated?
Scripture and Tradition are inseparable because they come from the same source—God—and they point to the same truth.
Both Scripture and Tradition hand on the Word of God. Together, they form one complete Deposit of Faith entrusted to the Church. Without Tradition, we wouldn’t fully and accurately interpret Scripture. In the same way, without written Scripture, Tradition would be incomplete in transmitting all of Divine Revelation.
Jesus himself points to this unity. He promises that the Holy Spirit will remind his followers of everything he taught them and guide them into all truth. That promise is still being fulfilled today through the living Faith of the Church.
In the end, Scripture and Tradition work together in such a way that one can never stand without the other, so God’s Word is not just preserved, but truly understood, lived, and shared.
What does this mean for Catholics?
If we want to know God and his plan for us, we must not only read the Bible, but also know our Church’s teaching. The Catechism of the Catholic Church was written to more fully understand God’s Word in Sacred Scripture and Sacred Tradition so that we may know how to live out the kerygma—proclaiming the Gospel.
In the end, Sacred Scripture and Sacred Tradition are not abstract ideas to be studied from a distance—they are the divine Word of God inviting us into a relationship with him. This is the gift entrusted to the Church and handed on to every generation, that we might hear God’s Word, understand it rightly, and live it boldly. If we want our children—and our own hearts—to remain rooted in what is true and lasting, we must return again and again to these sources. For it is here, in the unity of Scripture and Tradition, that we encounter the living Christ himself, calling us to follow him.
How is Ascension responding to our call to fully understand God’s Word?
The apostles were dedicated followers of Jesus who allowed the Holy Spirit to work in them to pass on the fullness of Jesus’ teaching through the Church. Ascension’s goal is to walk hand-in-hand with the faithful to experience a dynamic encounter with Christ through Sacred Scripture and Sacred Tradition, following the mission of the apostles. To facilitate this evangelizing catechesis, Ascension has created Pillars of Faith, a religious education curriculum rooted in Scripture and Tradition to guide even the youngest Catholics to encounter Christ.
Ascension also wants to ensure that every Catholic household has not just a Bible but also a Catechism to strengthen their faith as a family and pass it down to their children, just as Jesus passed it down to his apostles. For children, Ascension has created The Great Adventure Catholic Bible for Young Beginners and The Ascension Catechism for Young Beginners, both uniquely adapted for children in grades K–2. These are the first in a three-level series of Bibles and Catechisms that mature with children up through their young adult years. Parents and teachers will be able to learn alongside their children and students using their own Great Adventure Catholic Bible and Catechism of the Catholic Church, Ascension Edition.
We recognize that Sacred Scripture and Tradition are the foundations of the Faith that we live, proclaim, and teach. Teaching our children the truth and beauty of the Catholic Faith, leading them to fall in love with the Word of God and to know it fully from the earliest age, will ensure they become joyful disciples of Christ.
1. Leo XIV, General Audience (January 28, 2026), vatican.va.
0 comments