Buddhist Catholic Contemplative Evangelical General Christian Hindu Jewish Latter-day Saint Muslim New Visions Progressive Christian

Beliefs

Topics

Columnists

Resource Library

Research Tools

Video

Podcasts

Thought Readers

Faith In Media Tracker

Newsletters

Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In Subscription Support

Follow Patheos

Home
Catholic
History and Religion
Engaging Tradition: The Need for Honest Reflection

Engaging Tradition: The Need for Honest Reflection

Last updated on: December 12, 2024 at 3:19 am by Henry Karlson

0 Comments

Engaging Tradition: The Need for Honest Reflection 2024-12-12T03:19:58-05:00 Henry Karlson

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Jonund: The Church Fathers Are A Major Source Of Christian Tradition / Wikimedia Commons

Christian doctrine, and the tradition in which it is found, is important, but we must engage it honestly. We must come to recognize and accept that tradition has developed over time. It is constantly changing, indeed, it can be said to be evolving, as the people who hand down what they have been given to another generation add their own views, their own opinions, their own ideologies, their own errors and mistakes, as well as their own innovations and new insights, to those who come after them. This means, when we look to what is contained in tradition, we will find a variety of thought, sometimes coming from people who hold vastly different opinions from each other.

Those who do not study patristics often think the Church Fathers (and Mothers) present one, consistent teaching amongst them, with no conflicts, with no deviation from each other. That is, many hold the naïve view that patristic authors present a simple, unified tradition which we should take in and accept without critical analysis, so that we can hand down pure doctrine to the next generation. Those who study patristics know this is false; they know there were all kinds of conflicts between those who handed down tradition to us, that even those who are known to be saintly Doctors of the Church often fought against each other, sometimes with malice, in order to promote their particular views against all those who held something different. St. Jerome is a prime example of the way patristic authors can be seen fighting against anyone and everyone who, including other saints: not only did he turn against his close friend, Rufinus, he was known to warn St. Augustine not to challenge him and his authority when Augustine had issues with Jerome (such as with Jerome’s translation of Scripture into Latin). Similarly, St. Augustine, and those who followed his theological opinion, were often in conflict with those who held to a more Eastern Christian spirituality, such as St. John Cassian (and those who followed after Cassian), fearing that such a spirituality was tainted by Pelagian thought. Thankfully, the Benedictine tradition in the West mediated between Augustine and the Eastern tradition, as they took in Cassian and Cassian’s contributions, integrating his monastic spirituality, with the advances made in Augustine’s theology, which made sure that the West did not entirely lose sight of Eastern spiritualty, even though it would still misunderstand it from time to time.

It is important for us to recognize the real discord which can be found in Christian tradition, even in its earliest stages, found in patristic literature so we do not end up creating an idol out of either, which easily happens when think there is one single underlying tradition, easy to discern, found throughout patristics (and later Christian history). For, as Nikolaos Loudovikos explained, if we do not recognize the conflict and the changes which happen over time, it becomes extremely difficult for us to engage theological reflection today, as those who would do so would end up thinking they cannot go beyond a falsely-perceived norm:

They almost feel guilty when a critical filtering of the written ecclesiastical tradition is required of them. They identify the holiness of the Fathers with the holiness, omniscience, and fullness of God Himself, and essentially idolize them, becoming unable to discern the “treasure in earth vessels” (2 Cor. 4.7). The fact that the Fathers are saints – and they really are saints! – does not mean that they do not complement and correct each other, that they do not have human failings or – on account of such failings – human faults and one-sidedness, as Abba Barsanouphios observed (Barsanouphios and John, Questions and Answers 604). Treating the Fathers, or Christian Hellenism, as idols, instead of engaging them in a living and crucially existential manner, leads to an equally dangerous pit for contemporary theology as was the centuries-long ignorance of them. [1]

The Church Fathers (and the few Mothers whose thought we possess, like St. Macrina) certainly have much to teach us, but we must recognize the context in which they wrote, and the limitations that context placed upon them. There was much which they did not know about the world they lived in which we have only discovered recently, some of which should influence our own theological reflections (such as the discovery of evolution). Theological development is not only possible, it is necessary, to deal with new questions when they arise. Adaptation requires us to understand the many branches of tradition, to understand how and why various schools of theological thought were established. Doing so will allow us to critically engage tradition, to discern what of it can be and should continue to be upheld, and what elements might need to be changed or even excised, as we come across questions which previous generations should not even ask.

Thus, with tradition, there is a way in which those who lived before us continue to influence the world, and so have a sense of life, even as we find in Christ, they continue to live (though in a new modality of living). Accepting this, we still must understand what they have left with us are historical documents. We cannot interact with them as if they are our contemporaries. Sergius Bulgakov is right in saying, yes, they still live, and we have a way to interact with them, but we must not confuse that interaction as being the same kind we have with those who experience temporal existence with us:

I did not say that they had died, everything really alive never dies, and they are living with us and teaching us and our thinkers, but they are just no longer our contemporaries, we must translate their thoughts into our language, they do not assuage our pains, and they appear before us not only in their spiritual might, but also in their historical limitations. [2]

This is why it is dangerous to look to and engage tradition as simply restating what was said in the past, making sure nothing changes over time. Not only is it impossible for there to be no change, we should recognize, so long as there is life, we should hope for and expect change. Christianity has constantly been changing, developing over time, sometimes for the good (as can be seen in the repudiation of slavery), but sadly, sometimes, in ways which can be seen as for the worse (as, for example, we find in the development of Christian nationalism). Those who try use tradition in a legalistic, rigoristic fashion, especially if they only engage one branch of tradition to arbitrarily represent all tradition (such as some Thomists do with Aquinas), diminish Christianity and often become a source of extreme discord (even as it often serves as the foundation for an authoritarian traditionalism which undermines the work of the Spirit in tradition). Such a traditionalism undermines our own personal agency, our ability to engage the questions which touch us at the core of our being, because it suggests all major questions have authoritatively been answered; this is not what tradition should be used for, and that is why, when tradition is presented, it must always be presented with proper historical awareness, so we will truly understand our connection with tradition and our ability to develop it as we pass it on to the next generation because we will see those who we look up to and learn from did that in their own day.

[1] Nikolaos Loudovikos, Church In the Making: An Apophatic Ecclesiology of Consubstantiality. Trans. Normal Russell (Crestwood, NY: St Vladimir’s Seminary Press, 2016), 12.

[2] Sergius Bulgakov, By the Walls of Chersonesus. Trans. Mike Whitton (No City Listed: Independent Publication, 2024), 29.

Stay in touch! Like A Little Bit of Nothing on Facebook.
If you liked what you read, please consider sharing it with your friends and family!

N.B.: While I read comments to moderate them, I rarely respond to them. If I don’t respond to your comment directly, don’t assume I am unthankful for it. I appreciate it. But I want readers to feel free to ask questions, and hopefully, dialogue with each other. I have shared what I wanted to say, though some responses will get a brief reply by me, or, if I find it interesting and something I can engage fully, as the foundation for another post. I have had many posts inspired or improved upon thanks to my readers.

History and Religion

Previous Post

December 10, 2024

Pro-Life Values: A Call For Consistency In Actions

Next Post

December 13, 2024 Embracing Trials: A Path To Personal Transformation

Recent Comments

0 | Leave a Comment

"Gosh, did that hit the spot. I have been having great anxiety lately. And I ..."

Mark Wilson

Rejecting Doom: Christian Hope And Human ..."

"Justice and peace are two sides of the same coin. Where there is justice, there ..."

Dr.Cajetan Coelho

Justice First, Charity Beyond It: Serving ..."

"Thank you for your very, very powerful and very, very insightful analysis of the relationship ..."

alwayspuzzled

Justice First, Charity Beyond It: Serving ..."

"Given the amount of lethal malevolence that has prevailed in human history for the past ..."

alwayspuzzled

We Must Value Our Health

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Abortion Abraham abuse Aesthetics AI Aliens Ambrose Ancestors and Everything Andrew Angels Animals Anne Anthony Antisemitism apologetics Apophatic Apostle John Aquinas Artificial Intelligence Asanga Ascension Asceticism Assumption Atheism Attachment Augustine Authority Avarice Balthasar Baptism Beauty Biden birthright citizenship Bishops Black History Books Buddhism Bulgakov Byzantine Calendar C.S. Lewis Calcidius Catholic Catholicism Catholicism Celibacy Charity Chastity children Chrismation Christ Christmas Christology Church Climate Change Common Good Communion Confession Confirmation Conscience Constantine conventions conversion councils Covid Creation Cross Dead Death Death Penalty Debate Deception Demagogues Demons Desert Monks Desert Mothers Desire destruction development Dialogue Dignity Dionsyius Dionysius Discipline Diversity Division Doctor Who doctrine dogma Dormition Dualism Easter Easter Series Ecumenical Councils Ecumenism Education Election Empathy Environment Error Eschatology eschaton Eternity Ethics Eucharist Evangelism Eve Evil evolution Faeries Faith Fear femininity Ficino Florence Florensky Folktale Fools Forgiveness Freedom Future gender Gentile Gentiles Glory Gnostic God gods Good Samaritan Goodness Gospel Government Grace Great Fast Guns Hate healing Health Heaven Hell Hellenism Heresy Hierarchy Hildegard Hinduism History Holiness Holy Spirit Holy Week Hope Horror Human rights humanity Humility hypocrisy ICE icon icons Identification Identity Idol II Nicea Immigration incarnation Individualism Informal Reflections Inklings Intention Inter-Religious Interfaith Internet Interpretation Intrinsic evil Irenaeus Islam Israel Jacob Jerome Jesus Jews John Chrysostom John of Damascus John the Baptist Joseph Judaism justice Justification kenosis Kindnesss Kingdom of God Kingdom of Heaven Law Law of Moses Lazarus Leaf by Niggle Lent Lenten Reflection Liberation Theology Lies Life Listen Literature Liturgy locutions Logic Logos Love Marriage Martyrs Mary Mass Maximos The Confessor Meanness Meditation Mercy Middle Path Migrants Mind Miracles Miriam Morals Moses Movies Music Muslims Myths Names Nationalism Native Americans New Year Nicea Nicholas Nothing Novatian Obedience Occam's Razor Ordination Origen Original Sin Orthodox orthopraxis Pagans Palamas Palm Sunday Paradise Paschaltide Paul Peace Pentecost person Peter piety PKD Plato pluralism Plurality Poem Poetry Poiltics Politics Poor Pope Pope Francis Pope Leo XIV Post Office Prayer Pride Pro-life Prodigal Son propaganda Prophecy Prophets Providence Putin Racism Reading Reason Reflection Refugees Relationships Religion Religion Series Religious Liberty Repent Republicans Rest Resurrection Rich Rites Russia Sacraments Saints Salvation Salvian Santa Science Scripture Self-Giving Sexuality Sibyl Sick Silence Sin Singlehood Social Justice Society Sodom Solovyov Speculations Spiritual Reflection St. Cyril of Alexandria St. Justin Martyr Suffering Sunday of the Paralytic Man Sunday of the Samaritan Woman Superhero Supreme Court Teaching Technology Thanksgiving The Father the Universe Theological Reflection Theology Theosis Theotokos Thomas Timaeus Time Tolerenace Tolkien Tradition Transfiguration Trinity Trump Truth Uncategorized Unity Universities USCCB Value Vatican II Vegetarian Vices Violence Virtue Vocations War Water Welcome Wisdom Womanhood Women Work World View Worship Writing Zacchaeus

Select a Month October 2026 September 2026 August 2026 July 2026 June 2026 May 2026 April 2026 March 2026 February 2026 January 2026 December 2025 November 2025 October 2025 September 2025 August 2025 July 2025 June 2025 May 2025 April 2025 March 2025 February 2025 January 2025 December 2024 November 2024 October 2024 September 2024 August 2024 July 2024 June 2024 May 2024 April 2024 March 2024 February 2024 January 2024 December 2023 November 2023 October 2023 September 2023 August 2023 July 2023 June 2023 May 2023 April 2023 March 2023 February 2023 January 2023 December 2022 November 2022 October 2022 September 2022 August 2022 July 2022 June 2022 May 2022 April 2022 March 2022 February 2022 January 2022 December 2021 November 2021 October 2021 September 2021 August 2021 July 2021 June 2021 May 2021 April 2021 March 2021 February 2021 January 2021 December 2020 November 2020 October 2020 September 2020 August 2020 July 2020 June 2020 May 2020 April 2020 March 2020 February 2020 January 2020 December 2019 November 2019 October 2019 September 2019 August 2019 July 2019 June 2019 May 2019 April 2019 March 2019 February 2019 January 2019 December 2018 November 2018 October 2018 September 2018 August 2018 July 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 March 2018 February 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz