Some Traditions Must Be Handed Down, Others May

I've been writing about tradition, the Great Tradition, i.e. the Gospel and traditions in the Lutheran Church. Before proceeding I want to define again what I mean by the word tradition.

English dictionaries normally define tradition as a noun with several meanings.

1. An inherited, established, or customary pattern of thought, action, or behavior (as a religious practice or a social custom)
2. The handing down of information, beliefs, and customs by word of mouth, by example or other methods, from one generation to another with or without written instruction
3. Cultural continuity in social attitudes, customs, and institutions
4. Characteristic manner, method, or style.

I'm focusing on the second meaning, the one about handing down information, beliefs and customs from one generation to another by various methods. What I really want to do is to sort out the difference between what information and beliefs must be handed down and what may be handed down. While we're at it, let us also remember that in this matter of handing down information and beliefs, it isn't only what we say, it's alsohow we say it and even where.

We all have traditions. My wife taught our daughter to bake cookies by bringing her into the kitchen to play with the dough, cut out the cookies and bake when she was a little child. When she grew up, got married and gave birth to her own daughter, she passed on the same tradition to her daughter. Now every Christmas when grandmother, daughter and granddaughter get together it has become their tradition to go to the kitchen to create, bake and decorate Christmas cookies. Our family also has an equally significant tradition about decorating Easter eggs.

I've already written about the traditions to the Lutheran branch of the Christian Church, using the same definition. The church has some teachings she must pass down to the next generation. For instance, she must pass on the teachings of God's Word and she must pass on the practices based upon that Word of God. Examples include the teaching and practice of celebrating the Lord's Supper. Likewise the church must teach that Jesus is the Christ, true God, begotten of the Father from all eternity and also true man, born of the Virgin Mary who suffered on the cross under Pontius Pilate, died and rose again on the third day.

However, certain other customs, methods and styles of teaching and worship may and do vary from place to place and from one culture to another. They are in the may category of traditions. For instance, consider that we may celebrate the day of Jesus' birth on January 6 instead of December 25, because in truth we do not know for certain when he was born. Eastern branches of the church to this very day hold to January 6 as the day while western churches call that day Epiphany and recall the coming of the Wise Men on it.

Most wedding ceremonies fall into the same category. The wedding candle, for instance, is a very new tradition that arose sometime in the 20^th century. The exchanging of rings is older, but is also another may tradition—except for Roman Catholics. Wedding bands go on the third finger of the left hand because from ancient days people believed that the "vein of love" that runs directly to the heart is in the third finger of the left hand. After the days of the Reformation, the Roman Catholic Church called an ecumenical council that met for nearly all of the twenty years between 1545 and 1563 in the northern Italian city of Trent to deal with the issues raised in the Reformation. The Council of Trent decreed that wedding rings must be used in the sacrament of marriage. Non-Catholics do not consider marriage a sacrament. Consequently they continue to view the rings as an option, a may. A couple is married, rings or not.

There are other musts and other mays. Make up your own list. There are some traditions you must accept if you are a Christian. There are others you may or may not. We need to keep in mind the differences. I'll say more about this next time.