There may be no perfect synonyms. Each word has at least some slight nuance of its own. Nevertheless, we often use words interchangeably without analytical attention to the differences. Tradition, custom, habit, are words used for each other, not only in usual conversations, but also in Scripture. Words standing alone are waiting for meaning. Context provides meaning. Custom, tradition, habit, often distort meaning. Prejudice always does. We do not give up affirmative meaning of a concept because it has been distorted from its affirmation. Persons ought to extend the better meanings in their traditions, but often they do not. We seek to recover first meanings.
We can believe there are, for earthlings, traditions that make physical and spiritual life more celebratory than would otherwise be possible. For example, the observance of points in the Christian calendar relate to traditions. Those traditions ought to be faithful to biblical patterns. Although ordinances, like Baptism and Communion ought to become traditions, they are meant to be biblically directed. Many traditions relate well to the Church, and may relate to national origins. When I served for several years a congregation with a majority of members from Swedish background, I warmed to their traditions. I am modestly disappointed that to accommodate cultural pluralism in the intervening years those special customs have been dropped or muted. They could be recovered for educational and memorial purposes.
In counseling with families I discovered that those who had warm traditions tended to do better in their relationships than those that did not. If families developed more traditions (constructive habits) than they do, there would be less delinquency, divorce and competition between members. We had the tradition of doing yard work together on Saturdays, spent an evening a week when we all enjoyed the same TV programs, and we usually went out for hamburgers on Friday evenings. My wife and I would take a spring week-end in another town every year. We had evening prayer with my attendance to each child at each bedside. Any questions were welcomed. We went to church together as matter of course. I am now retired. One of my children wrote to me: One of my childhood memories includes your weekly letter to your mother. I wonder if that may not have something to do with the gracious way my family treats me? My mother thought the decline in letter writing to loved ones was a loss to families. The point is made, out of the private traditions adopted in families great memories are made, and conducts for the next generation are indicated. Families should find them. They will like and warm to the memories and results.
The church must give to congregations what is needed to prepare them to become the persons Scripture informs us that we should become. We seem to vacillate between the beginning of Christian life, and the ending of human life, with death made acceptable. If we developed within the body of believers a pattern, a tradition that focuses adequately on the quality of living to the end of life, we would likely do better. More needs to be done to cultivate human relationships and duty than current approaches accomplish. With adjustments we can use memorable traditions in the Christian life for devotion and obedience to perpetuate warm and wholesome life. It is a better life than we seem to be seeking in the robotic world. Even entertainments are being constructed on ugly metal images at war with each other. Persons sit in silence watching false drama that must move rapidly (action) or they may wake up to what is happening to them. Meaningful shared traditions indicate group ideals, demonstrating life beauty and values. *Mark W. Lee, Sr. — 2016, 2020