Beyond Tradition: Living Faithfully in Christ

Can you imagine someone barging into your house, critiquing your food, how you dress or what you might read or watch. I think most of us would be outraged, wouldn’t we? “My house, my rules!” we’d say. Now think about us as a church. Someone walks in, saying, you’re not a “real” Christian because you are singing these songs, or that you’re using some type of instruments, or you’re not dressed right, or you missed out on this part of worship, anything that didn’t match their idea of faith. It would probably feel offensive to us, wouldn’t it? And yet, this happens all the time, sometimes subtly, especially when new ministers, members or visitors bring expectations that clash with a congregation’s traditions.

Paul, the author of Galatians, helps us to think about this very issue in our lectionary passage this week because the early Christians in Galatia were grappling with what seemed to be imposed rules. Questions about whether non-Jewish believers have to follow Jewish customs to be “true” Christians? And Paul’s answer was “no.” Faith in Jesus, not cultural conformity, defines God’s family. And this can be a real challenge for us today because we have certain preferences about music, dress, or rituals, and often, even subconsciously, we impose these tastes on others, implying that our way is the better way?

What we will explore this Sunday is how we might consider diverse expressions of faith and be open to the idea that maybe Christ is also working in and through those expressions despite how different it might be for us. Hopefully this will help us understand how we might welcome those who feel out of place in our churches without demanding their conformity? This is an ongoing tension between tradition, faith, and unity, and it’s important for us then to understand what is at the heart of our traditions rather than just holding tight to the manifestation of them. So rather than discarding traditions, we try to understand the essence of them so they might be faithfully applied or recognised in the diverse expressions that we encounter.

Let me assure you, this is not an easy or quick process and not one solved on one Sunday. Hopefully though, we can continue asking these questions and listening with the Spirit so we might be a community of faith that is embracing, adaptive and inclusive of all peoples and yet without compromising the essence of who we are as followers of Christ.

May God open our hearts and minds as we engage in this passage.

Blessings

Josh