The new Universal Catechism is heavily Scriptural, and loaded with teachings of the Fathers of the Church. We are now to begin to make a preliminary exploration of that Scriptural riches. Hence it is good for us to open with a sketch of what the Catechism says about Scripture and Tradition.

1. A desire for God is written into the heart of man: God has made our hearts too large, too demanding, to be filled with anything less than Him.
   
   We begin to know Him and things about Him by reason. The Church teaches, without endorsing any particular set of proofs, that we can by reason alone be certain of His existence. And in seeing the manifold perfections of creatures, we can know that these perfections exist in the highest degree, and without alloy, in Him.
   
   
2. Even though we can know Him somewhat by reason, history shows that even the best minds make so many errors in thinking about Him. Hence He graciously has provided us with revelation about Himself. He revealed Himself to our first parents, and right after their sin, He lifted up their hope by the promise of a Redeemer in Genesis 3:15. After the deluge, He made a permanent covenant with all humans. But soon He began to prepare for a fuller revelation, in choosing Abraham and his descendants. But the full revelation of Himself came in His own Son. This does not mean we do not have specific truths about that Son, and about the Father. We do of course.