I had a coffee meeting at The Well this morning with my friend, Jd Bowman, who is the assistant theatre professor over at my alma mater #2, McPherson College. We were discussing details for their upcoming production of "Grease." As we talked our conversation moved on to family and life.
We both grew up in "conservative" families, yet knew the term "conservative" probably wouldn't best describe us (I mean, come on - I'm a charismatic, Anglican-rite priest. That is an oxymoron to more than one person! :) ) Jd gave me a great term: "traditionalist."
I realized that was a great fit. Although "tradition" seems rather old-fashioned to many, or conjures up images of Tevye in Fiddler on the Roof, it is such a strong, pregnant term.
Quoting Laurence Hull Stookey's book Eucharist: Christ's Feast with the Church, "Our word tradition, so often used with a sneer as being negative, is derived from the Latin traditio, which literally means 'handing on, delivering.'" This is what St. Paul referred to in 1st Cor. 11:23 saying that he handed on to us what he received from Jesus.
Being a traditionalist means I value the values, thoughts, and customs handed down to me and desire to hand them down to the younger generation, be they my college students or children.
What have we received from previous generations and what are we handing on to the next?
Things to ponder...
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