The Apostolic Tradition (past) + Catholic Liturgy (present) = An Eternal Legend

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Throughout the history and development of the Catholic Church, there have been several links discovered between Catholicism and the social institution of the Church. Two critical terms arise from this relationship, “sympathetic familiarity” and “critical insider.” These two terms present a different approach of analyzing and viewing ideas than a modern critique. This approach can help individuals look at ideas and concepts in a distinctive lens, rather than a simple view enabling them to find relationships and patterns between the areas of interest. In the world of Catholicism and the institution of the Church, similar and different perspectives arise from a variety of sources based upon a certain analysis. For instance, there are many similarities and differences between texts like the third century text The Apostolic Tradition of Hippolytus of Rome and a modern day Catholic liturgy . Through this comparison a number of developments and patterns have been noticed. Primarily this comparison will focus on the connection, development and analysis of scripture/prayer, Catholic sacraments, and the Church order of both areas.
The meaning and use of types of prayer and scripture are introduced in The Apostolic Tradition and the contemporary Catholic liturgy, revealing a connection and development among them. One section of The Apostolic Tradition focuses on the offering of cheese and olives however, it includes a prayer that is used in the modern Catholic Liturgy. “But in every blessing shall be said: To you be glory, to the Father and the Son with the holy Spirit, in the holy Church, both now and always and to all the ages of ages.” This prayer is used to express the gratitude in the special offering of cheese and olives which symb...

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...e Church. This is one of the major links that the terms mentioned previously, “sympathetic familiarity” and “critical insider” show that the present and the past are interconnected and their influence on each other provides a unique history that is yet to be discovered.

Works Cited

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“Apostolic Tradition #1-4, 20 -25” in Hippolytus: A text for Students, edited by Geoffrey J. Cuming. Nottingham: Grove Books Limited, 1976.

I observed the 11am mass at St. Jane Frances De Chantal Roman Catholic Church in Toronto, on Sunday 6, October 2013.

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