Apostolic Tradition

• Apostolic describes things belonging or relating to Jesus Christ's early followers and their teachings.
• The gospels were passed down orally through preaching and in writing in the Bible.

Apostolic Tradition

• Apostolic Tradition refers to the transmission of the teachings, practices, and authority of the original followers of Jesus, especially as passed down to the early Church.
• The Church's apostolic nature means it was founded on the apostles, continues to pass on their teachings and is guided by their successors (the bishops) via apostolic succession.
• The Church remains faithful to Christ's message and mission.
• The Catholic Church's apostolic nature means it is rooted in the faith, mission, and teachings of the apostles.
• The apostles were the original witnesses of Christ's life, death, and resurrection.
• Apostolic foundations are preserved through Sacred Tradition, Sacred Scripture, and Apostolic Succession which includes a line of bishops tracing back to the apostles.
• These bishops safeguard the Church's teaching and sacramental life in communion with the Pope (the successor of Peter).
• The Catholic Church continues the apostles' mission to preach the Gospel to all nations, teach the truth, serve, and live in communion with God.
• The Church remains faithful to the apostolic message by preserving the deposit of faith and ensuring its transmission is undistorted.
• This gives the Church authority and authenticity in its teaching and spiritual leadership.
• The apostles' mission involved: spreading the Gospel, baptizing new believers, establishing Christian communities, teaching all that Jesus commanded, and continuing Jesus’ work.
• Catholic churches have a direct connection from the Apostles and Jesus, through the structure of Pope → Cardinals → Bishop → Priests.
• The church relates to the early followers of Jesus by: being built on their foundation, passing on their teachings, and continuing to be guided by the Apostles until Christ's return.
• The Eucharist is an Apostolic ritual.
• The Eucharist is truly the body and blood of Christ, not just symbolic, presenting Christ's sacrifice on the cross.
• The eucharist nourishes the soul, deepens union with Christ, and builds up Church unity, and is the most sacred mystery given by Christ to His apostles.
• Baptism is the entry into the Life of Christ.
• Jesus' baptism (Matthew 3:13–17) and his command to baptize (Matthew 28:19) form the foundation for it.
• The apostles baptized thousands (Acts 2:38–41) and taught that baptism was necessary for salvation and the reception of the Holy Spirit.
• Baptism cleanses original and personal sin, and Apostolic Tradition maintains it's a spiritual rebirth essential for salvation.
• Reconciliation (Confession) involves: Jesus giving the apostles authority to forgive sins, restoring grace lost through sin, and reconciling the penitent with God and the Church.
• Reconciliation continues spiritual healing and is a continuation of baptism, taught as a gift from Christ.
• Oral teaching from the apostles to their successors preserved the sacraments.
• Writings from Early Church Fathers and documents like the Didache outlined how rites were celebrated.
• Liturgical continuity has kept the core structure and theology constant, especially in the Catholic and Orthodox Churches.

Apostles' Roles

• After Jesus’s death and resurrection, the apostles were entrusted with: spreading the Gospel, establishing churches, teaching doctrine, and administering sacraments.
• Doctrine constitute a set of beliefs, teachings, or principles.
• The apostles preserved Jesus’s teachings in both written and oral form.
• The Sacred Scripture is the written Word of God (the Bible).
• Sacred Tradition constitutes oral teachings, liturgical practices, creeds, and interpretations passed down from the apostles considered to be inspired by the Holy Spirit and equally authoritative.

The Early Church

• The characteristics of the People of God include that they are not the property of any one people, and membership is attained through faith.
• Members of the Early Church are referred to as the People of God, and their mission is to be light reflecting the love of Christ.
• The apostles became witnesses in Jerusalem, sharing the Kingdom of God's message, empowered by the Holy Spirit.
• The early Christian community considered Jesus as the head, recognizing themselves as a community under His guidance embodying the Messianic People's characteristics.
• The apostles' mission was to be witnesses, empowered by the Holy Spirit, serving as a guiding light.
• The Day of Pentecost marked the beginning of the Christian Church as the apostles spoke in different languages.
• The Holy Spirit was what Jesus instructed the apostles to wait for before continuing His mission.
• The Holy Spirit empowered the apostles to spread the message of Jesus, according to the Acts of the Apostles.
• The primary mission Jesus gave the apostles after His Resurrection was to spread the teachings of the Kingdom of God to all nations.
• The Israelites were considered the original Chosen People in God's covenant leading to the New Covenant.
• The Early Christian Church included Gentiles.
• The Day of Pentecost is significant because that was the day on which the Holy Spirit descended and the apostles began to spread Jesus' message to all people.
• The New Covenant includes both Jews and Gentiles.
• The apostles were not filled with the Holy Spirit during Passover.
• Jesus wanted the apostles to keep His mission alive with the Holy Spirit's guidance.

Historical Events

• The destruction of Jerusalem and the Second Temple occurred in 70 AD, impacting the early Christian movement.
• After 70 AD Judaism was devastated leading to restructuring, solidifying, and focusing inward to preserve its identity and faith.
• For Christians, 70 AD led to the loss of the mother Church and a shift from Jerusalem to Rome.
• After 70 AD, Christianity separated more clearly from Judaism and became an increasingly Gentile movement.
• In Antioch, the followers of Jesus were first called Christians as they became large and distinct.
• Jewish Christians first preached the Gospel to Gentiles, marking a fundamental separation of Jews and Gentiles.
• Life for early Christians around 70 AD was challenging due to the destruction of Jerusalem, growing division, persecution, and defining their identity.
• It was a period of bold missionary activity, separation from Jewish roots, and emergence of a new faith.

Pentecost

• Pentecost marks the birth of the Church and the moment the apostles received the Holy Spirit empowering them to preach in many languages, signifying the start of their ministry.
• Catholics believe that the Holy Spirit was given to us on Pentecost, 50 days after Easter Sunday.
• Holy Spirit is the third Person of the Blessed Trinity.
• The Holy Spirit is fully God, co-equal with the Father and the Son.
• The apostles' work after Jesus' death was to continue building the Kingdom of Heaven on Earth.
• The Holy Spirit is symbolized by:
  • WIND: invisible but powerful, symbolizing the unseen yet mighty presence that can move and change lives.
  • FIRE: represents purification, transformation, and divine presence, symbolizing courage and the passion to proclaim the Gospel.
• The apostles were given the gift of speaking in different tongues (languages).
• The apostles could preach the Gospel to people in their own language, and this helped Christianity rapidly spread.
• Many were amazed when the apostles began speaking in tongues.
• After Peter's sermon, about 3,000 people were baptized (Acts 2:41).
• Metanoia means transformation, conversion, repentance, change of mind and thus heart.
• At Pentecost, metanoia is demonstrated when people were "cut to the heart" (Acts 2:37) and told to repent and be baptized.

Apostles versus Disciples

• An apostle is someone who is sent for a specific purpose, and Jesus chose 12 to be part of his circle of followers.
• Disciples are followers of Jesus who learn from him and spread his teachings.
• Apostles are chosen by Jesus for a purpose, while disciples are general followers.
• Apostles and disciples are messengers of the gospel.

Paschal Mystery

• Passover, also known as Pesach, is a major Jewish holiday that commemorates the Israelites' liberation from slavery in Egypt.
• Paschal comes from the Hebrew word Pasch, meaning passover.
• The Paschal Mystery constitutes the suffering, death, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus.
  • Passion: Jesus' suffering and death on the cross.
  • Death: Jesus' sacrifice that freed humanity from sin.
  • Resurrection: Jesus' rising from the dead.
  • Ascension: Jesus' ultimate triumph and ascension to heaven.
• Jesus did not abolish the Law, but gave people a better understanding of it.
• Jesus foretold his death and resurrection by saying he would tear down the temple and raise it up in 3 days referring to his body.
• Some considered Jesus's claim to be God or the Son of God a violation of the First Commandment.
• When Jesus said "This is my Body which is given for you, this is my blood which is poured out", he anticipated the Paschal mystery and symbolized himself as the offering.

Last Supper

• Jesus instituted the Eucharist, the Priesthood, and the Mass at the Last Supper.
• Intense fear and anxiety caused Jesus to sweat blood in the Garden of Gethsemane which is a condition called Hematidrosis.
• The flagrum was a Roman practice for scourging involving chips of bone, glass, or steel balls with about 160 scourge marks.
• Jesus was crowned with thorns to mock being the King of Jews.
• Redemption means to free someone or buy him/her back (satisfied)
• Two types of truth describe the resurrection, historical and mystical.
• Jesus had a glorified body (mystical body) that entered into the divine life of God beyond time and history.
• After the Resurrection, Jesus ascended to heaven and was seated at the right hand of the Father.
• Jesus' ascension marks the entrance of humanity into the glory of God.
• Jesus continues to help us through the Holy Spirit, giving hope of reaching the place prepared for us.

The life of Paul

• Paul was born in Tarsus (modern-day Turkey), he was a Jew from Benjamin, and a Roman citizen.
• Paul was educated in Jewish law under Gamaliel.
• As a young man, and Saul was a zealous Pharisee who saw Christians as dangerous heretics.
• While traveling to Damascus to arrest Christians, Saul had a dramatic encounter, and was blinded.
• After, Saul became Paul, and he went from persecuting Christians to spreading Christianity.
• Paul then dedicated his life to spreading the message of Jesus throughout the Roman Empire.
• Key Aspects of His Ministry are:
  • Three missionary journeys recorded in the Book of Acts.
  • Established churches in major cities.
  • Wrote letters to these communities, encouraging, correcting, and teaching theology.
  • He faced constant persecution.
• Paul is important because he shaped Christian Theology.
• Paul was the first to systematically explain the meaning of Jesus' life, death, and resurrection.
• He taught that salvation comes through faith.
• Paul explained big theological ideas like grace, justification, redemption, and the Body of Christ and he opened the faith to the world.
• Paul insisted that Gentiles could become Christians without first converting to Judaism, which made Christianity a universal denomination.
• Paul authored much of the New Testament; with 13 of the 27 books attributed to him.
• Paul’s writings have shaped Christian doctrine, worship, and ethics.
• After years of preaching and imprisonment, Paul was taken to Rome.
• Paul was martyred in Rome during Nero's persecution.
• Paul’s legacy includes being called the “Apostle to the Gentiles” due to his mission to bring Christianity to non-Jewish people.
• Without Paul, Christianity might never have spread beyond its Jewish roots.
• Paul's letters help to understand Christian faith and practice.
• Paul was originally a Jewish Pharisee who persecuted Christians, but became the greatest missionary of the early Church after a dramatic conversation.
• Paul preached the Gospel across the Roman world, wrote much of the New Testament, and taught that salvation is for everyone.