The Evangelicals & the Fathers
October 28, 2007
From Touchstone Magazine, here are some Mere Comments:
“To me, tradition is very important, and it’s something we should use,” says Prof. Bryan Litfin of Moody Bible Institute, interviewed by Christianity Today in A higher ecclesiology for Evangelicals. But
It’s not something to be equated with Scripture as a second source . . . . [T]radition is rather a friend and a guide. It is a witness and it does not stand over Scripture, but it can serve Christians by helping us to understand what Scripture means.
Litfin is being interviewed on his new book Getting To Know the Church Fathers, and in the interview gives what seems, to an outsider, a helpful explanation of the conservative Evangelical’s understanding of the Fathers and their place for Christians today.
Posted in Church Fathers, Church History, Patristics
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October 29th, 2007 at 3:41 pm
Human traditions can be good or bad as they have existed throughout Christian history.
Good tradition - What Christian alive today objects to little baby Jesus being depicted in the manger scene around Chrismas time, as a reminder of the beautiful gift of the incarnation?
Bad tradition - We could probably do without stumbling over all the drunks in the streets of New Orleans, preparing for the “Holy” season of Lent.
I believe Paul had something deeper in mind when he wrote to the Thessalonians of the Word of God that was delivered once for all:
So then, brethren, stand firm and hold to the traditions which you were taught by us, either by word of mouth or by letter. (2 Thessalonians 2:15—RSV)
Now we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you keep away from any brother who is living in idleness and not in accord with the tradition that you received from us. (2 Thessalonians 3:6 —RSV)
October 29th, 2007 at 10:24 pm
One should not quote 2 Thes 2:15 or 3:6 without also making mention of these:
Matthew 15:1-3
1 Then some Pharisees and scribes came to Jesus from Jerusalem and said, 2 “Why do Your disciples break the tradition of the elders? For they do not wash their hands when they eat bread.” 3 And He answered and said to them, “Why do you yourselves transgress the commandment of God for the sake of your tradition? (There is a parallel verse to this in Mark 7:5-9)
Col 2:8
See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception, according to the tradition of men, according to the elementary principles of the world, rather than according to Christ.
We must make sure tradition never exceeds the bounds of scripture.