How We Christians Define And Argue About Tradition

We Christians all have traditions. For instance, I wrote about the tradition of celebrating Christ's birth on December 25. I'd like to explore the meaning of traditions among us Christians. I'm especially concerned about this because our brothers and sisters in both the Western and Eastern branches of Christendom claim tradition as a source of teaching authority, equal to the Bible.

For example, The Catechism of the Catholic Church, Second edition, paragraph 83, reads

Tradition is to be distinguished from the various theological, disciplinary, liturgical or devotional traditions, born in the local churches over time. These are the particular forms, adapted to different places and times, in which the great Tradition is expressed. In the light of Tradition, these traditions can be retained, modified or even abandoned under the guidance of the Church's Magisterium.

Note that the Catechism speaks of traditions and the great Tradition. The Catholic Catechism continues:

1. "The apostles left bishops as their successors. They gave them their own position of teaching authority.'" (Par. 77).
2. "This living transmission, accomplished through the Holy Spirit, is called tradition..." (Par. 78).
3. "Both Scripture and Tradition must be accepted and honored with equal sentiments of devotion and reverence." (Par. 82).

Let me give you an example. In addition to what is revealed in the Bible, Tradition tells us that the Holy Spirit revealed over the centuries that Mary, Jesus' mother, was conceived immaculately and later assumed into heaven. There are many other examples, but lets focus upon Mary as a good way to grasp what this means.

Fr. Yves Congar in his book The Meaning of Tradition defines tradition as a real, living self-communication of God. This means there are teachings God has made implicit in the Scripture, but the prophets and apostles were not led to explicitly spell out at the time they wrote. However, the Spirit continues to work in the Church. As the Church's teachers, the Magisterium, led by the Vicar of Christ, (Christ's living representative on the earth, the Pope) meditate upon those Scriptures, they gain new insights into what was inferred, even though they were not specifically spelled out in the Scriptures. The Magisterium continues to supervise this whole process and stigmatizes, condemns and disapproves of errors. This is the living work of the Holy Spirit at work in Christ's Body, the Church. 


The teaching about the Virgin Mary's conception and assumption is a prime example of such a teaching implied, but not explicitly spelled out in the Scripture. Meditation upon the inspired Scriptures eventually led the Magisterium to conclude that Mary was born without sin and taken bodily up to heaven as was Elijah in the Old Testament times. Read How to Argue for Mary's Assumption to get a better understanding of how Catholics think about this. 


Today Catholics both of the Western and Eastern branches of the Church believe in the bodily, corporeal Assumption of Mary, the Blessed Virgin. Her feast is celebrated on August 15 and at various other times in many places. Mary is venerated and adored as the prime example of motherhood. Women around the world pray to her. Family life is enriched and celebrated in the light of her example and God's revelation. 


Why do Lutherans and protestants in general not follow this example? What's our problem with accepting and honoring tradition "with equal sentiments of devotion and reverence"? And is there something to learn from tradition? I'll pursue this in later blogs.