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Tradition and Culture Having heard a lecture on the early church by Dr. Ken Parry at the University of Manchester when he expressed his mews of tradition, written and unwritten, I wanted to explore the meaning and definition of the concept of Tradition and how we are affected by it in our forms of worship. The book 'Orthodox Christianity and the English Tradition written by Fr. Andrew Phillips expresses views on this subject and how returning to Orthodoxy in England can be entirely consistent with our culture and tradition. The Chambers Etymological Dictionary defines tradition as the handing down of opinions or practices to posterity - unwritten. Culture comes from the Latin colo, cultas - to till, to worship. Culture is the state of being cultivated; advancement or refinement is the result of cultivation - to improve. It must follow therefore that, in a particular culture, religion is traditionally related to education. Learning takes place initially within the family unit and proceeds to a wider interaction with the community or society in which we live. The Church formed a very important, indeed an integral part, in that learning process in the past. Where does Orthodoxy fit into this pattern? The true catholicity of the faith embraced all people in all parts of the Christian world. It was truly a way of life. Right worship was the teaching of the Church together with continual reinforcement of moral values and standards in the home and in the community. The family provided the foundation for later learning and Bible reading daily in every home was the foundation for that learning. Nowadays, sadly, we have lost the traditional religious teaching in the West where the church is becoming decreasingly Christ centred, partly perhaps as a result of the Church being controlled by the State but more important is the influence of secular and liberal thinking, fads and fashions. In addition to these problems children are having to learn to adjust to multi-cultural conditions whether immigrant or indigenous. Western families are similarly adjusting to a renewal of an Orthodox life-style and worship where Christ centred living is important to them. This has been lost to Western culture for a long lime but once again we have found that this true faith is as much a part of our tradition of catholicity as it is universally accepted to be in the East. The common factor is of course, faith. How does this affect Tradition and our culture in the place in which we find ourselves here and now? We need to have faith to rebuild the Orthodox Christian heritage here where we live and where we have to conquer all kinds of discrimination. The Gospel truth of the love of Jesus and the faith of the Apostles has a universal and timeless value. With this common faith we can confidently be ourselves acknowledging Tradition and accepting God's will for us where we are. Only in the strengthening of unity and trust in the wholeness of faith can we share with our neighbours and learn from one another in our intended uniqueness. If we try to discover where are roots are we have to accept that they are truly and universally in Orthodox Christianity whatever our tradition and culture by place. The Church Christ left to us cannot change but He does not want us to disregard our past because our pilgrimage is given by Him. If we choose individuality, liberalism, diversity or whatever, then we are in danger of losing our way. If, however, we freely chose to respond to His will with our whole being He is glad to accept us as we are and will give us the direction, humility strength and love to help us on our way. The authority comes from God and not from the imposition of human authority. Tradition then can be defined as a return to our roots and to stray from this is to be weakened. Culture is defined as an improvement of our state of being by advancing and refining as we go along. If we care to try to understand the 'Book' of rules which is God given it will tell all and very much more. The Church is one because the faith it teaches is one. St. Paul teaches that the Divine Word speaks through the scriptures and is preserved as a living voice in Tradition. Scripture without Tradition can, and often is, distorted, leading to the teaching of false doctrine. St. Paul writes to Timothy:- "Guard what has been entrusted to you by the Holy Spirit who dwells within you." St, Irenaeus writing in the second century speaks of Tradition: "Nothing of self except as being all important to God." Dwynwen East |
