Scripture, Tradition, and Ecumenical Councils, part 02

Tongue-in-cheek, please laugh!

Yesterday I gave examples of how Tradition has vetoed Papal bulls, Roman Catholic Councils, and Ecumenical Councils. In each case, there are still many who would insist that those pronouncements are valid and to be obeyed, even while there is significant disobedience to the pronouncements. That is, Tradition is not a static set of statements handed down to us from the Fathers. Neither is it a formally approved collation of statements from the Fathers. Neither is it an officially approved set of Liturgies, etc.

Rather, Tradition is one of the ways in which the living Holy Spirit speaks to the Church. In this mode, the Holy Spirit is speaking through the People of God, which includes hierarchs, priests, deacons, monastics, and the laity. It is not the only way, and it is not the determinative way. But it certainly is a counterweight to both Councils and hierarchs. It is not simply public opinion, as the Arian controversy quite ably demonstrated. There public opinion certainly was on the side of the Arians for many years, but eventually the weight of Tradition swung the Church to orthodoxy. In passing, it is interesting to note that, on the scale of history, the non-Chalcedonian churches are a minuscule part of those who call themselves Christian. It is certainly true, however, that Tradition is not as clear a voice as the pronouncements of Scripture and Council, but it is a powerful force, in and of itself.

Because Holy Tradition does not speak with a clear voice, it is not always easy to discern what is Holy Tradition and what are cultural (or local) traditions that may either help or hinder the Church, depending on circumstances. But, because the Holy Spirit is behind Holy Tradition, he has this way of making Himself known through it.

I will mention that Tradition does not always oppose change, sometimes it supports change. Let me give a couple of instances of change where the change was so swift, and only opposed by a minority, that one can almost catch a whisper of the wings of the Holy Spirit. One was the change to the Gregorian calendar. Even the majority of those who still use the Julian calendar no longer tend to oppose the use of the Gregorian calendar by others. Also the “trimming” of various parts of the Divine Liturgy (such as the Litany of the Catechumens) has not been opposed by the ancient Patriarchates, even those where those parts are still prayed. Yes, there are still groups trying to force a “return” to “Ancient Tradition.” However, the weight of Tradition seems to be supporting the idea that these are not unchangeable parts of Orthodoxy.

In other words, I see Holy Tradition as being both the Holy Spirit working through the deposit that we receive, and the Holy Spirit applying that deposit as He wills, to keep the Church pointed the right way.

—More to come tomorrow–