Tradition: Understanding Christian Tradition

Description

A 1963 report on tradition from the Faith and Order Commission of the World Council of Churches signalled a substantial convergence between the churches over Christian tradition and its relationship to Scripture. However, since the 1960s theologians have regularly ignored the theme of tradition. The few who have discussed this theme have not used the help provided by some sociologists towards understanding the role of tradition in human and religious life: for instance, as being all-pervasive and as shaping the identity of various societies and groups. The process and presence of Christian tradition embrace baptism and other sacraments, Bible, creeds and other doctrines, art, architecture, hymns, pilgrimages, literature, the celebration of Christmas, Easter and other feasts, and much else besides. Particular traditions can call for scrutiny and reform. Tradition: Understanding Christian Tradition proposes various criteria (e.g. the message of the Scriptures and spiritual experience) for discerning and evaluating specific traditions. Through the power of the Holy Spirit, the risen Christ himself is the central Tradition (upper case) at the heart of all Christian traditions. The Spirit remains the primary bearer of the Church's tradition; the secondary agents of tradition include not only ordained ministers but also all the baptized faithful. In the history of Christianity, tradition has interpreted and actualized the Scriptures, but has also been interpreted and challenged by them. An appendix explains the insights coming from specialists in the study of collective memory; their work also sheds light on the workings of Christian tradition. Cover Tradition: Understanding Christian Tradition Copyright Preface Contents List of Abbreviations 1: The Background for Discussing Christian Tradition ‘Scripture Alone’, and Trent on Tradition Protestant Changes on Tradition The 1963 Faith and Order Conference in Montreal Conclusion 2: Tradition and Human Life: Some Sociological Views Shils, Parsons, Martin, Berger, and Giddens The Past in the Present Runaway Challenges to Tradition Theologies of Tradition and Sociology 3: Revelation, Tradition, and Culture Revelation Primarily and Secondarily Revelation, Past, Present, and Future Tradition as Process Tradition as Object Culture 4: Transmission of Tradition, the Sensus Fidelium, and the Holy Spirit The One Traditum and the Many Tradita The Transmitters of Tradition The Sensus Fidelium and the Holy Spirit 5: Tradition and Scripture Creeds, Adam/New Adam, and Justification Religious Freedom Relations with Jews 6: Discerning Particular Traditions Traditions that Work or Fail to Work Shared Pastoral Experience Apostolic Tradition Guiding Discernment Post-New Testament Developments Learning from Others Retrieving the Wisdom and Practice of the Past Four Questions 7: Achievements and Conclusions Appendix: Memory Studies and Tradition Tradition as Collective Memory Studies of Collective Memory: Twelve Applications to the Theology of Tradition Conclusion Select Bibliography Index of Names