Theology and Traditions?

Question

I I know Mark 7:13 speaks against Human Traditions. However, we are all under some kind of traditions in one way or another.

Within the Christian body, we have Anglican, Methodist, Baptist, etc. Within each denomination, we have Methodist of Asian style, American Style, etc. . . so many kind.

I wish to hear from Evangelical Christians of their view on this topic.

Is there any relations between Theology and Traditions, and if any, how and why. Please provide quotation if possible.

May I beg, for those who are anti-christian, please skip this page. I appreciate your kindness. Thanks.

Answer 1

I dont see any problem with human traditions, as long as they do not blaspheme God in anyway. People in different cultures can not be expected to be unculturalized because they become Christians, besides God at the tower of Babel is responsible for the different cultures.

Answer 2

Mankind tend to adhere and follow that that they are famaliar with.  This is the danger of customs and traditions.  When such become ingrained in chruch practices and rituals, they ofter take the place eventually of more important things.  As Jesus told the Pharises, they bound heavy burdens upon the people that even themselves could not bear and left off the weighter matters.  Folks through customs and tradtitions can ritualize themselves right out of God's involvement and that has what has occurred in many cases.  There is only one style or method of worship and service and this was well taught and recorded in Judea about two thousand years ago.  Most rituals practiced today are man thought up and man made, some to appear more "religous" perhaps, to seem more reverent.  Once man begans introducing his ideas to help God out, there seem to be no end to the variations and are really quite useless, just pomp and ceremony.  You will not here much froma real christian, they do not brag nor advertise but are out in the trenches in a spiritual warfare, doing good works, not seeking the lime light and trying to amass money and popularity.  There are those who say in defense that this is the way dad did it and his dad, and his dad.  What if it began with great-great-great grandpa---and he was wrong.  No, the siimplicity of Gods word for the church under the new testament given by Christ and the apostles are all that God requires or desires and really all that HE will recognize.  Jesus said "upon this church (I) will build my chruch and the gates of h**l shall not prevail against it".  If he had wanted man to build it, enhance it, add to it, I have not doublt HE would have told us so.

Answer 3

I can provide the Roman Catholic view:

Scripture does in fact warn us of human traditions but many things that we see in our Christian faith are directly related to the traditions of the apostles.

Prime examples is that Christ never explicitly directed the early Church to write the Bible, or even go into buildings called Churches to worship. St. Paul in his letters to the various churches of the time, however he states he himself is falliable.

Scripture and Tradition is the basis of Christian faith, but Tradition can never go against Scripture.

Regards,

Josemaria Rojas, OSB

Answer 4

Theology is the study of God. Traditions are an established pattern of behavior, or actions. Here is the problem with traditions according to Jesus.

(Mar 7:9)  And he said unto them, Full well ye reject the commandment of God, that ye may keep your own tradition.

There is nothing wrong with traditions, as long as they don't get in the way of keeping God's commandments.