By What Authority?: An Evangelical Discovers Catholic Tradition

by Mark P. Shea

In this newly updated, expanded version of his popular work of apologetics, Shea presents a lively and entertaining look at his conversion to Catholicism from Evangelicalism and his discovery of Christian tradition. As an Evangelical, Shea accepted the principle of "sola scriptura" (Scripture alone) as the basis of faith. Now as a Catholic convert, he skillfully explains how and why Sacred Tradition occupies a central role in Divine Revelation.Tracing his own journey of intellectual and spiritual awakening, Shea begins by looking for a rejoinder to those modern-day false prophets who would claim that Scripture itself is not to be trusted, and ends with his conviction that tradition, as explained by the Catholic Church, is the only sure guarantee of the truth of the revelation of Jesus Christ.

Genres: Catholic, Religion, Theology, Nonfiction, Faith, Christianity, Christian

231 pages, Paperback

First published September 1, 1996

About the author

Mark P. Shea is a popular Catholic writer and speaker. The author of numerous books, his most recent work is the Mary, Mother of the Son trilogy (Catholic Answers). Mark contributes numerous articles to many magazines, including his popular column “Connecting the Dots” for the National Catholic Register and his regular feature on InsideCatholic.com. Mark is known nationally for his one minute “Words of Encouragement” on Catholic radio. He also maintains the Catholic and Enjoying It blog. In addition, Mark is Senior Content Editor for CatholicExchange.com. He lives in Washington State with his wife, Janet, and their four sons.

Reviews

[Melanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

The book that started this whole crazy Catholic thing in my life :-)

[Patrick O'Hannigan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mark Shea used to think that the sole criterion for religious truth was to hold anything being disputed up to the question, "Is this Biblical?" In this intellectual memoir, he describes how and why his criterion changed over time, so that the key question for him eventually became, "Is this Apostolic?"

Shea writes with an enthusiasm that I liked very much, seizing late in the narrative on metaphors to say that "Tradition is the lens that focuses the light of Scripture," and then "Scripture and Tradition are the hydrogen and oxygen that fuse to form living water." Both images are instructive, and both help to make the important and utterly Catholic point that "extra-biblical" belief is not necessarily "anti-biblical" belief.

Shea did his homework, as citations from church fathers like Clement of Rome (circa 100) and Basil the Great (d. 379) show. He brings the reader around with him to the realization that what separates Sacred Tradition from the folkways that Scripture warns us about is a twofold test, pithily described as the "Roots and Fruits" standard. That coinage may not be original to him, yet Shea uses it to wonderful effect.

I almost gave this book five stars, but an overview of extra-biblical beliefs that most Evangelical Christians regard as non-negotiable seems muddled. The book also shows its age by using the unintentionally comical heresies of John Dominic "Jesus Seminar" Crossan and John Shelby Spong as its jumping off points. Both men were more influential 15 years ago than they are today, although the thinking to which they are beholden is still with us, and Shea's dismantling of their best-known heresies remains entertaining.

Criticisms aside, "By What Authority" is a quick read that I warmly recommend to any Christian with an interest in apologetics or the ongoing dialog between Catholics and Protestants.

[John Walker · Rating 3 out of 5]

Before reading Mark Shea’s sprightful little book, ByWhat Authority? An Evangelical Discovers Catholic Tradition, I was not a Catholic. But now, having read it… Well, I’m still not a Catholic.

But, I do think Shea still accomplished a noble task. As is clear, it was not necessarily persuasive as an apologia for Rome, but it was certainly helpful as a window into Rome. For Protestants who have never questioned the Solas of the Reformation, or can’t conceive why anyone would ever want to “worship Mary” or “pray to dead guys”, this book is in some ways a necessary read. Simply for the sake of gaining understanding.

I hope it’s no surprise that I have a great concern for ecumenism. Having read Robert Webber and Thomas Oden, and then having acquired a great appreciation for the Church Fathers and the creeds, I have jumped on board with the vision of a revived Classical Christianity. A Christendom in which unity is a strived for reality, not just a pious chimera.

Thus, as I read Shea, I sought to better understand this particular strand within the Christian tradition. A strand which, perhaps in contrast to many of my Confessional kin, I think deserves and demands to be considered. So, when I say I approached this book rather openly, I do mean it.

All that said, I was unconvinced of Shea’s defense of the Catholic Tradition. In many ways, I think it was because I am not the kind of ‘evanglical’ that Shea is writing to.

The approach that Shea takes is a simple and potentially effective one. He begins by offering his heart-felt thanks and appreciation to the Evangelical tradition through which He began following Jesus. He acknowledges many of the great attributes found within evangelicalism, while concluding that it is because of certain evangelical truths, that he actually became Catholic. In a wise, diplomatic (though, honest) move, Shea shows himself as “one of us.”

The bulk of the argument, and the meat of the autobiography, begins as Shea recounts his evangelical perception of the “traditions of men.” In his evangelical days, he connected these human traditions with liberal Christianity, Christianity as exemplified by Bishop Shelby Spong, which kowtowed in rhythm to Modernist sensibilities. These ‘traditions’ were goofy ways of redefining and explaining away Apostolic Christianity. Thus, Shea developed a great skepticism toward tradition.

He goes on to explain how he learned to counter these Modernist notions, specifically regarding the historical Jesus. He devotes a whole chapter to responding to the likes of John Dominic Crossan and the Jesus Seminar.

It was in his research and refutation of those quirky ‘scholars’ that he began to question certain evangelical tenets. Mainly regarding canon formation. This “epistemological crisis” that he experienced, is meant to be awakened in the reader. In his study, he began to wonder why the Gospels accounts of Jesus were canonized, but not, say, the Gospel of Thomas, or of Peter? Well, the Church simply made that decision. But why should it be trusted? Well, evangelicals had taught him it was because Scripture was self-attesting. However, Shea grew to find that an unconvincing answer. Thus, he had to find another route to affirm the canon. Perhaps sacred tradition could provide the key.

He spends some time recounting his investigation into Scripture’s view on tradition, which, to his surprise, was favorable in many areas. According to Shea, the New Testament actually affirms an oral tradition next to the written tradition. Not simply an oral tradition developed around the Old Testament, but the Kerygma of the Church itself. Likewise, he found many matters that are considered orthodox today, that are not explicated in the Bible. For example, a Pro-Life stance on abortion, the Trinity, polygamy, etc. Perhaps, Shea asks, public revelation did not end when the New Testament was completed?

Here lies the beginning of Shea’s real case for the authority of the Catholic Tradition. He sets out that the authority of a particular teaching does not rely in its being in the Bible, but in its being Apostolic. This Apostolic tradition was preserved both orally and textually. How could the Apostle’s teaching be preserved without them here? Well, it is through the Bishops and elders that they appointed. The red thread of Apostolic authority can be run all the way from the Vatican of Pope Francis to the humble home of the Apostle Peter.

Finally, Shea wrapping up his “conversion” (I use that term lightly) to Catholicism, states that he began to trust the Church as the faithful carrier of the Apostolic deposit. As a result, all the other hang-ups about Mary, purgatory, etc. where resolved, because he had a new authority. Or, better said, a new means of authority. Rather than the Scriptures, it was the Church and her interpretation of the Scriptures.

Shea is a good writer. He is certainly not boring to read. However, there were a couple areas that I found weak. First off, he will really only convince and disrupt a particular kind of evangelical – the particular kind that he happened to be before turning to Catholicism. A kind of evangelical that completely rejects human tradition.

I for one, do not. I look with intentness at the early Church. I trust the Apostolic teaching. However, I don’t think it follows that the Catholic Church is the only, or even the primary, bearer of that teaching. The Scriptures stand above the Church as the authority, not below. The Church Fathers are judged ultimately by Scripture, though great weight is given to their interpretations.

Ultimately, I don’t see the need to jump from “sacred tradition” to the Catholic Tradition. I think that is where Shea’s approach is lacking. He may appeal to some, but it will be those who have a very shallow understanding of Protestant theology and epistemology.

As I said, this book is a well written, fun read. And, if you are unfamiliar with Catholic teaching and self-understanding, this would function as a good introduction.

Note: This book was received free of charge in exchange for an honest review.

[Mike · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a well written and documented examination of some pretty old myths about the Catholic Church. Because he had personally held these myths to be true it was very interesting to see the path he followed in reaching closure on these topics.

I finished the book believing that the most vivid message for all Christians (Catholic & Non-Catholic) was to study the early fathers of the church.

I enjoyed the recounting of Mr. Shea’s faith journey. The amount of intellectual effort he invested was truly impressive. His intellectual honesty and openness to follow the facts where ever they took him is remarkable. It is very difficult to study any topic without having your life long beliefs impact your acceptance of facts, he did this. He had to paddle against his internal current for the entire journey; I give him credit.

I wish more people would undertake such an examination of their faith. Some would change their church affiliation others would affirm their faith but they would be where they are because they mean it.

[Richard Jones · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good, popular critique of Sola Scriptura and presentation of the Catholic view of Sacred Tradition. Shea writes very well and in a way that communicates clearly to Protestants. A really good place to start thinking about a serious issue.

[Christian D. D. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Newsflash: Sacred Tradition and Sacred Scripture go hand-in-hand!

Quite possibly THE strongest book ever written in defense--and articulation--of Catholic Tradition and refutation of "sola Scriptura," written by a former Evangelical who converted to Catholicism through a journey that was not only faith-based but highly analytical and intellectual as well. Strongly recommended, with more quote-worthy passages than you can shake a stick at.

RANDOM STREAM OF CONSCIOUSNESS NOTES AND OBSERVATIONS (and noteworthy passages):

--"Scott Hahn: Who is for Catholic apologetics what Randy Johnson is for the Seattle Mariners." Haha, nice sports analogy.

--"'So then,' asked the little voice of modernism in my head, 'why precisely do you accept the present canon of biblical books as something other than human tradition?' Answer: I didn’t have the faintest clue! Yet until that question could be answered clearly, I realized that my 'purely biblical' argument for Christianity was a series of neatly fashioned logic links attached to a hook hanging on a nail hammered firmly into. . . nothing. I had more thinking to do. A lot more."

--"So I asked simply: Does Scripture say what comprises the Old Testament? I set out searching for the solution to this riddle in a way that I thought would help me avoid any reliance on tradition. But it proved to be my first blind alley."
"Blind Alley no. 1: No Inner Witness of the Spirit"

"The Way Out of the Blind Alleys"
"Therefore, I realized, one of two things necessarily followed: either, as modernism said, the canon of Scripture was a merely human tradition or else God must have ordained some sort of revelation outside of Scripture as the means by which we could know what Scripture was. There was no third option."

CHAPTER 5: The Dog That Didn't Bark
--"Paul twice commands and commends adherence to tradition! I blinked and looked again. It was still there. First, he tells the Thessalonians, 'So then, brethren, stand firm and hold to the traditions which you were taught by us, either by word of mouth or by letter' (2 Thess 2: 15, RSV). In plain Greek, Paul says, 'Hold to the *paradosis* that you were taught by us, either by word of mouth [that is, by extra-biblical teaching] or by letter [that is, by epistles like 2 Thessalonians].'" **emphasis added**

CHAPTER 7: The Tradition of God

"According to the Catholic Church, both Scripture and Tradition were from Christ and were made by him to stand inseparably united. The two were one—but not the same. They were the hydrogen and the oxygen that fused to form living water. They were the words and the tune of a single song. They were two sides of the same apostolic coin. In short, by Catholic lights, the one apostolic paradosis of Christ was handed on in just the way Paul had said it should be: both by word of mouth and by letter."

"I thought of how it never seemed to occur to any of these ancient Christians that the Bible alone was the sole source of revelation.
I thought of the way in which these zealous archconservative purists and martyrs never regarded this extrabiblical Tradition as antibiblical.
I thought of the way in which even we Evangelicals relied on this extrabiblical Tradition when it came to abortion, polygamy, the Trinity, the closure of public revelation, and the canon itself."

AFTERWORD
--"The great paradox of the Spirit’s gift of infallibility is that, if anything, the sins of Catholics only demonstrate its reality. For infallibility is not the guarantee that Catholics will not have fools, scoundrels, crooks, and buffoons in their ranks—including in their clerical and even episcopal and papal ranks. Infallibility is, rather, the promise that despite all that sin, ignorance, and stupidity, the Holy Spirit and he alone will see to it that the Church will not lose track of the essentials of the gospel or define falsehood as crucial doctrine. Saying that the sins of bishops discredit infallibility is like saying a shipwreck discredits lifeboats."

[Matthew · Rating 5 out of 5]

I can't believe that this is the first Mark Shea book that I have ever read. I've read a lot of apologetics books over the last 10 years. This one has always been on my radar but I never got around to reading it. Now I've been a big fan of Mr. Shea's blog for as long as I remember. It is one of few blogs that I follow daily.

Perhaps I was over saturated with apologetics. Each new book pretty much outlined the same arguments in doctrine by doctrine basis. This got tired for a while.

Another reason in the recent years was my lack of space at home and my preference for ebooks. Mark's books have not been converted to ebook format for some reason, so I did not pick them up. "By What Authority?" is finally an ebook and now I have no excuses.

This book is amazing. I don't remember reading a clearer explanation and reasons for Sacred Tradition. Mark reasons his way out of an evangelical understanding of Bible alone to the Catholic understanding of Sacred Tradition and Scriptures. He throws every argument that an evangelical may raise at each step of the journey. The journey that he himself has completed. The objects that he himself has worked through.

It is always more refreshing to hear Catholic doctrine described by a former non Catholic. We Catholics tend to take so much for granted. Our doctrine seems so obvious to us that sometimes it boggles the mind that others can't see it. Converts have this ability to point out things that Catholics would not readily think about.

I am sorry that I didn't read this book sooner. Mark is a great writer. Now I want to read every other book he has ever written.

Highly recommended.

[Kara · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. I thought Mark Shea made a fairly good case for his switch to Catholicism, even though it didn't convince me. :-) I do think it's a huge wake up call to many (most?) Protestant churches that we're not doing a very good job of discipleship and education. I find it terribly sad that his original church had no answers for him when he came to them with his questions. I feel there are still major flaws in his reasoning for converting, but I can identify with him on some levels also. Definitely a worthwhile read.

[Amanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 This is very much what I have been looking for - a book about Catholicism aimed at Protestants. If you're a Catholic wondering what objections Protestants have to Sacred Tradition, or a Protestant wondering what Sacred Tradition actually means and why the heck Catholics follow it, this is your book.

[Jason Hall · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an excellent introduction to what Catholics mean by Sacred Tradition. Mark Shea, using a quasi-autobiographical format, lays out why a proper understanding of Tradition is essential to correctly approaching Sacred Scripture. Neither too deep nor too shallow, this book would be helpful to both Catholics and curious Protestants.

[Tim · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's a very engaging read. Shea pulls you in and makes you interested in the theological and historical cliff-hangers in what could have been a dry polemic. He organizes his non-linear, subjective mental/spiritual journey in a very logical and easy-to-follow order.

The main argument of the book is that in order to defeat modernist attacks on Christianity from the likes of the Jesus Seminar, he found his Evangelical Sola Scriptura an insufficient foundation from which to do so. Gradually pulling together various strands, he discovered that the Apostolic Authority of the Roman Catholic church easily defeats modernism precisely where Evangelicalism fell.

I am not knowledgeable enough to critique his evidence or conclusions, but the argument feels weak at points and may give a little too much attention to straw men.

I do not think I can say that his argument is conclusive, but it is definitely compelling and winsome.

I hear that there is an expanded edition that recently came out.

[Penny · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is an easy read but still includes enough "meat" to satisfy those really trying to gain a better understanding of the issue. The author was an evangelical protestant who began an inquiry in response to the "modernist" perspective proposed by The Jesus Seminar*, and found that his evangelical "scripture alone" approach wasn't adequate to refute those arguments. At the end of his study he was convinced of the importance of tradition along with the Bible as a complete version of what's been handed down to us by the Apostles. So convinced, in fact, that he converted to Catholicism.

All in all, a helpful book for giving me a better understanding of the tradition that I was born into and sometimes take for granted.



*The Jesus Seminar folks, whom I was unfamiliar with before, come off looking like total crackpots here. That's disappointing to me since I just read a Borg & Crossan book that I kind of liked. :-(

[Daniel Lower · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am not sure if Shea has totally dispensed with all possible criticisms of this book (most especially, I'm not sure if quite every spin on sola scriptura succumbs equally to his criticisms.) However, I think that for the light reader as well as for more educated ones, it serves as a solid example of a Catholic argument against the notion of sola scriptura and against the exclusion of tradition as a mode of authority.

[Jenna St Hilaire · Rating 4 out of 5]

Straightforward, well-put explanation of the process of discovering the authority of Sacred Tradition. Shea focuses on the fact that the shift from evangelical to Catholic is an act of fulfillment, not of renunciation. I'm tempted to give it five stars for that alone, and am only marking it down from there at all because it didn't otherwise say a lot that seemed new to me--but then, I've made that shift. For those curious or in the consideration process, it should be a good read.

[Noel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Felt like it started out a little slow building a foundation that didn't seem to apply to the general subject. Although after the first chapter or so it became a lot more focused. A great explanation of the myths and need for a proper understanding of the history of the authority of scriptures and the Catholic Church.

[Lauren · Rating 3 out of 5]

Started out slow and I am not sure the beginning really related to the rest of the book. There is some good stuff in here, but a few leaps in logic. I should have read this when I first entered the Catholic Church; it's not meaty enough for my current tastes.

[Bernard · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some obvious flaws, but on the whole some good points. I wondered why the author didn't consider Orthodoxy as a viable option?

[Matthew · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pretty good, but there are better books and articles on the internet on this subject.

[sch · Rating 4 out of 5]

Has the strengths and weaknessss of a popular style: entertaining but sometimes imprecise, etc., but improves once he gets past the Jesus Seminar. I'll be rereading the central chapters.

[William F · Rating 5 out of 5]

Teaches Christian Tradition

[Alexandria Green · Rating 5 out of 5]

The first 1/3 of this book was just okay to me…he was laying groundwork. But the last 2/3 and particularly last 1/3 of the book was great! Hence, 5 stars

Pg 138-139 “ What, after all, do the early churches receive from the apostles? Not primarily the Old Testament; like the Jews who stoned Stephen, the early Christian’s already had that. No, they receive instead a Tradition - mostly oral and occasionally written - about a new and final revelation that was, as Paul says, “not made known to men in other generations as it has now been revealed by the Spirit to God’s holy apostles and prophets” (Eph 3:5). Indeed, one of the constant refrains of the New Testament is the need for the completion of Scripture apart from the revelation of Christ himself. The Jewish Scripture remain, says Paul, “veiled” until the pardosis he preached comes to take the veil away by the power of the Spirit (2 Cor 3:14)

According to Paul, the new revelation was not revealed through the Old Testament writings; it was hidden in them. What revealed the new revelation was Christ Jesus, who IS the new revelation. And what revealed Christ Jesus was not primarily the Scriptures but those persons he had chosen to proclaim him: the apostles who proclamation became the Tradition and the Scripture of which Paul spoke.

This whole section and the pages that follow are THE crux of the book and its glorious.

[Paul · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book explains why tradition is essential to the Christian faith. On the way, the author covers a lot of important related topics, such as:
-The modernist quest to find “the historical Jesus”
-Evidence for the resurrection & divinity of Christ
-The historical reliability of the Bible
-The canon of Scripture
-Early Church history


The book is well written, funny, and accessible. A must read for any Christian seeking to understand how we got the Bible; how we can know that the right books made it into the Bible; and how tradition fits into the picture. The author’s research led him to the Catholic Church — I had a similar experience (though I was much academically lazier). :-)

[Jon · Rating 4 out of 5]

A helpful book; however, he doesn't do justice to the Reformed view of Scripture. He only addresses liberalism and fundamentalists/charismatics. I want to see the catholic response to John Frame, John Calvin, etc. (not being arrogant, I'm genuinely interested). If anyone can recommend resources, please do.

[Pablo Rodriguez · Rating 4 out of 5]

A really good look at the role of Tradition as a basis for the Christian faith. The author knows both the Catholic and evangelical branches of the faith really well. The book is well-reasoned and clearly written. It only fails a bit when dealing with later tack-ons to the teachings of the church (such as the infallibility of the pope).

[Lydia Goddard · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reading this has been mind-blowing for me. I guess I was ignorant but I did not realize Catholics have a different Bible than evangelicals. All of Mark's arguments/thinking make sense to me, he goes thru the chapters in a very logical way. Super eye-opening about Catholicism and I want to learn more.

[Kylee Crites · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mark Shea’s thought process throughout this book is very interesting and was fun to ask myself the same questions he’s asking himself. This book was very insightful and brought up points I had never heard before which was cool! My only critique with this book is that he uses a TON of big words that left me wondering what his point even was.

[Zach Summers · Rating 4 out of 5]

Baseline apologetic argument for inspired Sacred Tradition of the Catholic Church. Written by a former Evangelical. super fun, easy to read. Protestant Evangelicals (like myself) might want to be careful…you might just be impressed 😉.

[Leslie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was very challenging to my (former) Evangelical world view. On my way to full communion with the Catholic Church, it helped me to see the validity of Tradition in our Christian faith.

[Dean · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don't like the author personally. I think he's a jerk online. The book however is quite good.

[Jacob Orlando · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mark advocates for the importance of Sacred Tradition and he shows his work with many Biblical references.