Temporary Holders of Tradition
We all have traditions we hold important. Some traditions are from our families, some from our society, and some from our faith. Not all traditions are equal, but all traditions come from before us and are handed down after us. We are just temporary holders of tradition.
Timothy, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus, and what you have heard from me before many witnesses entrust to faithful men who will be able to teach others also. Share in suffering as a good soldier of Christ Jesus. No soldier on service gets entangled in civilian pursuits, since his aim is to satisfy the one who enlisted him. An athlete is not crowned unless he competes according to the rules. It is the hardworking farmer who ought to have the first share of the crops. Think over what I say, for the Lord will grant you understanding in everything.
2nd Timothy 2.1-10
In Saint Paul’s letter to Timothy that we read today for the commemoration of Saint Artemios, we see this passing down of tradition. What Saint Paul gave to Saint Timothy, Saint Timothy was supposed to find faithful men to hand down to others.
Tradition, that which is handed down, must continue to be a living tradition. A dead tradition ends when someone ‘keeps it’ to themselves. When Saint Paul commanded Saint Timothy to entrust it to others, he was reminding us that each of has bears the same responsibility.
Just like Saint Timothy, we have received the Sacred Tradition of the Church, handed down through centuries of the faithful Fathers of the Church, and it is now our responsibility to maintain it sacred, and entrust it to those who will follow in our place.
If we choose to break it or change it, there must be a compelling reason for the change. Obviously, the Church has changed many traditions over the past twenty centuries. We most definitely do not live or even worship exactly like Saints Paul and Timothy.
I think it can be argued that certain traditions are more important than others. Otherwise, the Church would like ‘just like’ our first century ancestors’ church, which it does not. When it comes to tradition, Sacred Tradition, there is a core that can be found in the life of the early Church.
Some obvious examples include how we fast, how we pray, and how we conduct the services of the Church. There are core traditions in each that have never changed, while what I might call the ‘outer layer’ tradition evolves to reflect life circumstances.
It is safe to say that the future Church will not look ‘just like’ today’s Church. The future traditions will rest on how we receive the traditions of the past and hand them to our children. That means how we live today will be reflected on how future Orthodox Christians live.
Most people feel comfortable sitting in chairs or pews in Church. This was unheard of in the past. It isn’t about having chairs or not having chairs. A bishop once taught me, “Never sit when you are praying, but always pray when you are sitting.”
Are we praying in Church, or are we watching a ‘nice production’ put on by the choir and priest? The core tradition for the worship of the Church, seated or standing, is to be fully engaged in the prayers, participating not just observing.
Before you ‘condemn’ today’s traditions in favor of past traditions, make sure you know the core of the tradition in the first place. People who needed to sit have always been allowed to sit, so it can’t really be about sitting, per se.
All traditions have a purpose, but the purpose is never solely to keep the tradition. That was the problem with the Pharisees, and they couldn’t recognize Christ. I’m afraid the modern version of Pharisee, today’s ‘OrthoBros’ will find themselves in the same circumstances.
Before you condemn anyone, remember every generation is only the temporary holder of tradition. We keep the purpose of the traditions and allow them to develop for today, rather than die for yesterday. Sit or stand, what is important is that we engage and commune with God.
If you are confused by today’s blog, or tempted to jump on your high horse to condemn every change, or perceived change in the Church, I invite you to sit with your spiritual father and look within yourself. The greatest tradition of all is to focus on our own sins first.
Tags: 2nd Timothy, Church, Church History, Fasting, prayer, Tradition, worship
There is nothing to condemn in the words of this blog. It allows for contemplation of the “here and now” of where the Church stands in the year 2025 in America is my simpleton understanding. And I could be 100% wrong, and that’s okay. I think the words stated here would be common discussion amongst today’s church leaders in the Orthodox faith. And that is brilliant because the Church is a living body of the faithful. I personally don’t attach a cultural tradition or ethnic identity to my faith, since I was not raised that way, I don’t have one. I mean that I’ve always been Mary Anne, coming to the Church to stand before God and worshipping. I don’t attach being Greek or being Italian or being American, just a person seeking God’s Mercy and the ultimate message the Church teaches us that are said during Divine Liturgy. So when cultural things are discussed within the community, I don’t connect with that. I’m not in a high position in society to be a modern day Pharisee. In my quiet contemplation, I humbly pray for the Unity of all the Orthodox faiths all throughout the world, that we can extend our hand in friendship strength and unity based on common understandings, not what has resulted in division. There are churches in Egypt, there are churches in Syria, there are churches in Africa, and Russia, even down the road in Tampa, that are of the exact roots our current Church is. We need to form stronger bonds as Orthodox brothers and sisters in Christ and as the above verse states, “ Share in suffering as a good soldier of Christ Jesus. No soldier on service gets entangled in civilian pursuits, since his aim is to satisfy the one who enlisted him. ” And yes, unfortunately, civilian issues have hurt our Church and in my deepest feelings in my heart, this hurts our collective original Church, and Her vital message. May God Have Mercy on us all and forgive us for our sins. May we strive to love one another as Christ Himself truly wanted from us. If I come across as a modern day Pharisee, I’d love to be clued in on how I’ve done that by my words. Please forgive me if I have!