tradition

This word comes from a Latin term meaning “to hand down,” that originally referred to the teaching of the apostles as handed down in the churches they founded, which led to these churches gaining authority of other locations due to their respect to these Apostolic Churches understanding of the apostle’s teachings. Later this term was used in Christian theology to refer to the traditions of Christian practice, teaching, and scriptural interpretation that was handed down and evolved over the centuries. Protestants deny that tradition has authority independent of Scripture while Roman Catholics hold them in equal regard.