Mission Monthly – October 2002
“Sacred Tradition, as the eternal and immutable dwelling of the Holy Spirit in the Church, lies at the very root of her being, and so encompasses her life that even the very scriptures come to be but one of its forms. Thus, if the Church were to be deprived of Tradition she would cease to be what she is”
St. Silouan the Athonite
As challenging as it is, I do enjoy talking about the topic of “Tradition” with people inquiring into the Orthodox Church. I am thankful that recent times seem to be leading people (Christians in particular) in a more “traditional” direction. One of the more thought provoking examples that comes to mind is the level of public display of prayer for those who died in the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001. Granted, the content of those prayers may not have been what an Orthodox may have prayed, but the criticism I have experienced from some observers of Orthodoxy regarding our prayers for the departed leaves me somewhat surprised at the level of “mercy” sought on behalf of the victims of September 11th.
I am not sure what caused the aversion to and ultimate rejection of “Tradition,” particularly within Protestant Christianity. Some say that it was because of “corrupt” practices which immerged in the Roman Catholic Church. The sad part of these allegations, along with the challenge to Tradition, is how Catholics are demonized in certain “Christian” circles (reflecting a very uncharitable attitude by Christians who should know better). I am thankful to have seen reconciliation within converts to Orthodoxy who had been taught to hate Catholics.
Yes, maybe there have been practices within Catholicism that “missed the mark” but whoever said that the human nature of the Church is perfect? Only Christ is without sin, as is the Divine nature of the Church, her dogmas, her scripture, her councils, her Tradition. This is a very basic point curiously missed by the Reformers. Why did they feel justified in continuing the schism of the Church rather than working hard at reformation through conciliation? I have my doubts that their justification came solely through theological difference. I believe that even more probable is the spiritual warfare that sprang up from the Age of Enlightenment, holding even Christians in the grip of philosophical self-determination. I tend to believe that the rejection of Tradition was more about pride than about personal conviction. I tend to believe that contempt for Tradition was less about corrupt practices and more about being fed up with being told what to do.
Christianity grew from a small, despised religion into a world transforming faith. Despite any bad examples throughout Christian history (which her opponents are always ready to point out), Christianity has been a faith of service and love from the very beginning. The n’s share of her effectiveness is born out of the womb of obedience to standards of faith and morality that were, and are, radically different than any other world religion. For those who are aware of Orthodoxy’s preservation of these standards they also know how radically different Orthodox Christianity is from other Christian faith traditions. Faith in the incarnation of “God become man” and the consequence of accepting the command to fight against the passions, as embodied in the message of “Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles” (1 Cor. 1:23), challenges us to a high standard of living and the rejection of self-determination—not of Sacred Tradition.
Some years ago my father became interested in the Kinder Family Tree. Acknowledging the presence of Sacred Tradition is really no different than acknowledging one’s genealogy; I would argue that it is even more important! Heritage and legacy are two words that are often missed, if not openly disregarded, in our fast-paced, get-what-you-can-while-you-can culture. Many have little care about yesterday and are too busy thinking about themselves to be considerate of tomorrow. The fact is we have received a heritage and we will pass on a legacy, hereditarily in our families and spiritually in our churches. There can be no denial of this, though some may try while in pursuit of the “self.” The rejection of Sacred Tradition in certain Christian circles, and even by some in the Orthodox Church who do not want to be held to Orthodoxy’s higher standard of accountability, is a sad and tragic minimization of many of the most beautiful ingredients of our Christian heritage. The standards of Sacred Tradition are not about ink and paper or rules and regulations written by men. They are revelations given by God in the ministry of the Holy Spirit “written not with ink but with the Spirit of the Living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts” (2 Cor. 3:3).
Could the Church ever cease to be what she is? I suppose in her human form, if man were to continue to reduce her into his own image, she would no longer reflect what she truly is. Thankfully, as the Spotless Bride of Christ, the Church, like Truth itself, can never be changed in essence. What man may do to the Church in the rejection of Sacred Tradition can only hurt himself. Thankfully, what man can do in the acceptance and preservation of Sacred Tradition can only help.