“Tradition vs. Traditionalism”

The Conversation Continues

A friend asked me to explain what I said last week in “Remember Your Roots”:

 

Every group has strong preferences and valued customs. That’s normal. The key is not to let tradition become traditionalism.

Tradition: living faith of the dead.

Traditionalism: dead faith of the living.

Remember, Jesus told the Pharisees, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath” (Mark 2:27, NIV).

Some Examples

Traditions reveal who we are and what we stand for. In the body of Christ, some traditions should be passed on to the next generation:    

       Baptism

       Holy Communion

       Music that connects people to God

       Stewardship of time, talents, and treasure
       Study and proclamation of Scripture

       Going out into the community to serve
                                                         

Such practices keep alive the faith of those who came before us. These customs enable us to love God and neighbor as Jesus intends.

But over time traditions can become we always do it this way (and will not change). Traditionalism is when we serve the custom instead of it serving us.

How many of these examples have you heard?

1. We shouldn’t hold a Sunday morning service in our fellowship hall (much less a warehouse, park, or coffee shop) to reach new folks. Worship belongs in the sanctuary for the benefit of our members (paying customers).

2. Our annual bazaar must be held the third weekend of September every year. All other activities must plan around that sacred date.

3. It’s not enough that I dislike drum kits, electric guitars, and songs written in the past 25 years. I don’t want anyone else to hear such music either—not even at another service that I don’t have to attend.

4. The pastor must preach in a pulpit robe or gender appropriate Sunday best. God is offended by business casual.

  

5. The offering must be collected between the first and second hymns. War will erupt if it’s moved after the sermon.

Churches rooted in traditionalism argue whether the nursery should be painted beige, cream, ivory, or off white…..while lost people are dying without Christ.

Remember your roots. But spread your wings and soar on God’s fresh winds.  

David