In this episode of The Cordial Catholic, I'm joined once again by my good friend Catholic convert, author, and historian Rod Bennett to propose a really interesting thesis he's been chewing on these days: that the "unwritten tradition" often criticized by non-Catholic Christians was actually written down.

Maybe you've heard this claim before? That as Christians should rely on the Bible alone and that Catholics have heaped up all kinds of unwritten traditions – barnacles on the once-pure Ark of Christ – that just get in the way of good old fashion Bible Only Christianity. This is certainly the argument that Rod and I would've heard, and believed, as former Evangelical Christians.

But what happens when those so-called "unwritten traditions," those things that Catholics apparently "added" to the once-pure Christian Church, were actually there from the beginning and can be found in the writings of the earliest Christians, those that learned their faith from the apostles?

This week not the who's, Rod tackles that very idea: that the so-called "unwritten tradition" criticized by Christians who claim Catholics have added to the faith, actually existed from the very beginning. 

For more from Rod Bennett, check out his numerous previous appearances in the archives of the show including conversations about Catholic Witnesses to the Early Church (Episode 141) and Were the Early Christians Catholic? (Episode 089).

And check out These Twelve, Rod's latest book from Catholic Answers Press.

For more, visit The Cordial Catholic. Send your feedback to cordialcatholic@gmail.com.

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Join myself and my parish priest Fr. Joseph on a pilgrimage experience to France.

This retreat-like pilgrimage takes place August 12 - 20, 2025. With Mass every day, we'll walk in the footsteps of St. Joan of Arc in Rouen, retreat to the home of St. Thérèse of Lisieux, the iconic Mont-Saint-Michel, and explore the newly restored Cathedral de Notre Dame de Paris.

Visit Trinity Travel Tours for more information.

This show is brought to you in a special way by our Patreon Co-Producers. Thank you to Elli and Tom, Fr. Larry, Gina, Heather, James, Michelle, Noah, Robert, Shelby, Susanne and Victor, and William. 

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