Unhinged Religion

When Martin Luther fathered the reformation he brought about a necessary separation between a lot of damaging unbiblical of the Catholic church and the reformed church. However, as any operation of that import and magnitude is difficult there were some things that were thrown out that had real value.

Each new birthing in the Christian Church has brought new life and a broader and deeper understanding of the gospel for the age it was in. However, each time it happened there were some things that really could have been kept for good use.

Today we have a vast understanding of theology catalogued for us in the thousands of books and sermons created over the centuries. Knowledge has never been so abundant. We have access to all the theology that all the past revivals have emphasized. We live in a great time.

However, one part, one aspect that we have largely missed in my experience is the comforting and familiar structure of tradition. Most churches today have a very laid back environment. They sing the newest songs, they wear whatever is common for the time and place they are in. The celebrate and worship however they feel like at the time.

This freedom and adaptability is great, and I never want us to go back to the harsh legalistic structures of the pre-reformation Catholic church. However, having tradition, having a familiar cadence to follow (in the right amounts) is a beautiful thing. Not having a back story, a history, a broader perspective makes life shallow. Even if we are right.

The richness of tradition, the wisdom passed down from passed generations, the depth of knowing that generations before you did something the same way is not something of no value.

I have lived in four states and well over a dozen places in my life. "Home" is not a strong word for me. My family is not large. I have not been very close to any of my grandparents. My career has taken me all over. My life is not one grounded in tradition, let alone anything "static". So when things are tough, as they inevitably are, I don't have much that I can hold on to. G-d is good, but having a solid corporeal handhold would be nice. The church can offer that, and I believe should offer that in this transient world we live in.