Which statement best describes Sacred Tradition?

• A. The one-time collection of manuscripts.
• B. The living transmission of the Gospel.
• C. Purely human writings without divine origin.
• D. Only oral preaching with no written form.

Answer: (B)

Sacred Tradition is the living transmission of the Gospel entrusted by Christ to the Church and handed down through the apostles to every generation, preserved and interpreted under the guidance of the Holy Spirit. It isn’t just a fixed collection of writings, but a living reality that shapes teaching, worship, and practice in the Church. While Sacred Scripture is the written record, Tradition and Scripture together form the one deposit of faith handed on to believers. It isn’t merely human writings without divine origin, since Tradition preserves apostolic teaching and is safeguarded by the Church’s ongoing teaching authority. It also isn’t only oral preaching with no written form, because the Church recognizes and uses written records as part of this living transmission.