What is the purpose of Christian Tradition? Is it boring and outdated? Or does it aid the Church to remain in line with Apostolic teaching?
Christian tradition refers to the teachings that have been handed down from one generation to the next. It is a spiritual mentorship where a generation passes what they have learned to younger believers. It is often determined by the Church’s history, its beliefs, and its operational structure.
When I was a boy, I found Church to be quite dull. Sitting in the same patterned service every week, singing the same songs, was difficult. After some time, I eventually left my church to attend a Pentecostal church that was highly modern, trendy, and what we would call ‘relevant to today’.
The preaching was different; the culture was different. The way they read the Bible and interpreted it was different! One thing that resonates with me from this journey is this: the tradition behind your church, behind your growth as a Christian, affects your interpretation of Scripture.
A. N. S. Lane once said:
“It is impossible to read scripture without tradition, save in the rare examples of those with no prior contact with the Christian faith who pick up a portion of scripture. We bring to the Bible a pre-understanding of the Christian faith that we have received from others, thus by tradition.”
A. N. S. Lane, “Tradition,” in Dictionary for Theological Interpretation of the Bible, (ed. K. J. Vanhoozer; Grand Rapids: Baker, 2005), 811.
Even Paul, the Apostle, wrote about the importance of tradition in Scripture:
“So then, brothers, stand firm and hold to the traditions that you were taught by us, either by our spoken word or by our letter.”
2 Thessalonians 2:15 ESV.
We always read scripture according to what we have been previously taught, whether accurate or not. Despite the history behind the Church, we should not allow tradition alone to dictate what we say or believe. Perhaps we need to let the Word of God challenge the beliefs that have been handed down to us.
Don’t get me wrong, tradition is important, and it is what keeps Christianity essentially Christ-like. However, is all of our Christian tradition how Christ intended the Church to be?
God bless.
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