What about those before us?
Well im going to take a quick break on going over the articles and take about some father quotes I came across here is the first
Epiphanius of
"It is needful also to make use of tradition, for not everything can be gotten from sacred Scripture. The holy apostles handed down some things in the scriptures, other things in tradition" (Medicine Chest Against All Heresies 61:6 [A.D. 375]).
This quote is show that the fathers didn’t even think that the Scriptures tell us everything thing we need and that we also need the traditions to help us understand and these men knew and humbly admitted that they needed what those who before them said but we today think we know so much and understand everything and something C.S. Lewis said would apply if you do think like that and it is called “chronological snobbery” and that means you think you know more then those who came before you because you further down the timeline.
Irenaeus (180A.D.)
"That is why it is surely necessary to avoid them [heretics], while cherishing with the utmost diligence the things pertaining to the Church, and to lay hold of the tradition of truth. . . . What if the apostles had not in fact left writings to us? Would it not be necessary to follow the order of tradition, which was handed down to those to whom they entrusted the churches?"
We see even earlier that they believer in following the traditions and that they were much needed and we need to look at the traditions like this. Lets say you were given a great inheritance and it was something you family saved up to give from 3 generation so you could live well and then pass it on and you waste it and think nothing of those who gave it to you and spend it on all kinds of things and have nothing to pass on to you family did you do what was right. Now that inheritance was the Scriptures those who pass it on were the fathers and they tell us how to use them Just like the family said how to spend it and pass it on but some of use don’t care what they say and do what we feel like with them and pass nothing of worth on just as the person wastes the money and gives nothing to their children.
These are just some of the quotes that bring to light our need for the traditions and the scriptures and have a balance of the both because one without the other will cause weakness.
These are just some quick thoughts and its getting later hope this may of helped you open your horizons some more.
By: Allen Bailey aspirant of the Anglican
1 comments:
Nice post Allen. I particularly like the inheritance metaphor and why it illustrates so well the importance of tradition. Without adherence to what has been passed down from the first centuries of Christianity we run the risk of loosing our way. Forgetting the traditions leaves room to invent. Room to invent opens the door to heresy. Keep the good stuff coming good sir.
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