Ask a Catholic

[Randy Carson]

If a police officer shouts to a fleeing bank robber, "Stop in the name of the law!", is he really only specifying the authority of one thing, "the law'? Or is it really the authority of:

1) the specific code of law written by politicians, 
2) the police department who enforce the law, 
3) the entire criminal justice system

that the officer is asserting? It's all of the above, right?

I would argue none of the above.
It's the Policeman's badge that provides the authority, all he needs to yell is "stop".
The "in the name of the law" part is unnecessary.

You try yelling "Stop in the name of the law!" and see how it works out.

What is the basis for his authority, huggy? What is the badge a symbol of? EVERYTHING I wrote.

But that's just an analogy. Let's move on.

So Catholics baptize using the trinitarian formula because of tradition?

Of course. The Church was baptizing LOOOOOONG before the scriptures were written. However, they were baptizing based on the commandment they heard from Jesus in the Great Commission:

Matthew 28
19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

What did Jesus say about tradition?

Matthew 15:6
Thus have ye made the commandment of God of none effect by your tradition.

Amen! Catholics love that verse as we do all 73 books of inspired scripture. However, Jesus is making a reference to "traditions of men" which he condemns. If Jesus commanded the disciples to baptize using a trinitarian forumla in Mt. 28:19, that would be a GOD-given tradition and NOT a tradition of men, wouldn't it?

Now, a word about tradition. I could provide a long list of verses in support of tradition, but this one will suffice:

2 Thessalonians 2:15
15 So then, brothers and sisters, stand firm and hold fast to the traditions that you were taught by us, either by word of mouth or by our letter.

Here, Paul not only commend holding fast to tradition, but he also commends oral teaching in addition to written scripture.

And now, a question for you:

What is the pillar and ground of the faith for the believer in Christ Jesus, huggy?