Holy Scripture: The Ground and Pillar of Our Faith (Volume IV)

St. Athanasius

on Scripture, Tradition, and Catholic Doctrine

in reply to William Webster and David King

For discussion on Festal Letter 2.6 see also this St. Athanasius vs. William Webster

for comments, corrections, challenges, or if you wish to contribute, email me.

* = were completely ignored or left out of the Webster/King volumes

Source: NPNF Series II Volume IV online at

http://www.ccel.org/fathers2/NPNF2-04/TOC.htm

Preliminary Study of Scripture and Tradition in Athanasius

Preliminary Study of Catholic Doctrine in Athanasius (below)

From the intro to the teaching of Athanasius on the "Vehicles of Revelation: Scripture, Church, Tradition" --

http://www.ccel.org/fathers2/NPNF2-04/Npnf2-04-05.htm#P589_431631

"On the sufficiency of Scripture for the establishment of all necessary doctrine Athanasius insists repeatedly and emphatically (c. Gent. 1, de Incarn. 5, de Decr. 32, Vit. Ant. 16, &c., &c.); and he follows up precept by example. 'His works are a continuous appeal to Scripture.' There is no passage in his writings which recognises tradition as supplementing Scripture, i.e., as sanctioning articles of faith not contained in Scripture. 

*"Tradition is recognised as authoritative in two ways: (1) Negatively, in the sense that doctrines which are novel are prima facie condemned by the very fact (de Decr. 7, note 2, ib. 18, Orat. i. 8, 10, ii. 34, 40, de Syn. 3, 6, 7, and Letter 59,