Hippolytus and the Apostolic Tradition

 Hippolytus lived in the late 2nd and early 3rd century in Rome.   While there he wrote the Apostolic Tradition, so perhaps traditionalists, or people calling the Church back to its core message was always part of the Church.    He wrote other works but the Apostolic Tradition gives us an insight into how ordinary Christians understood the Faith, and it is amazing just how much of the liturgy of the early Church is maintained today, and yet on the teachings of Christ just how unfaithful so many in the Church of today are as bishops, priests, and lay experts ignore sin, and have destroyed the lives of so many of our young, who grow up without faith and without hope, living unhappy and insecure lives.

I am going to start with initiation of candidates into the Church.   The candidates were taught by lay catechists, who in their own lives lived as Christ had taught them and were people who could set an example.    Those Christians who brought them forward had to show that they were good people who earnestly desired baptism.     There was a certain way of life expected from the candidates, which conformed to the desires of Christ.    Sexual liaisons outside of marriage had to be renounced.   Those cohabiting must marry, separate, or they would be turned away.   Many would not be accepted without first agreeing to abandon their professions, since they involved idolatry, lewdness, or violence; actors, artists involved in the creation of idolatrous statures, gladiators and wrestlers, public officials with the power to put people to death, etc.

As we can see it was not just turning up at an RCIA meeting.  You were required to understand what Christ taught, and what Christ was asking of you, if you wanted to be a Christian.

Now does this look anything like what is being asked of  you today.    Hippolytus was a rebel and a critic of  the Pope of the day for being far too lenient.   What would he think of the Church of today, where bishops update a catechism to make the 6th Commandment and adultery only relevant if a married person is involved.    How sad.   Yet the bishops will get plaudits for being compassionate an understanding  people for doing this.    Yet there actions do not help to make a better society.   Young people are taught safe sex in Catholic Schools and safe sex makes sex attractive to young  people as they enter into puberty.    The teaching of Jesus on preparation for marriage leading to faithfulness within marriage no longer applies in most Catholic Schools of today where the teachers are of a mature faith.   This leads to single motherhood, broken marriages, and abortions.   But we must not discuss such things.   Just thank the bishops for compassionate marriage annulments, and the priests for thousands of children growing up in the poverty of single parent families, where many wonderful women struggle on their own to be a father and mother to their children, deserted by men who lack the ability to love and raise children.    And they are in that position because priests and teachers had no commitment to Jesus Christ.  Well rather they did not let the teachings of Jesus interfere with their lives.