We have all inherited traditions from our ancestors, which we will in turn pass on to future generations. And traditions are important. The church also has traditions, such as community Thanksgiving worship services, children's Christmas programs, and Christmas Eve Candlelight services. And we love and honor those traditions. They are a part of who we are, and they help us to maintain some sense of balance in our lives.
Tradition is a good thing, but even good things can be carried to the extreme.
When honoring tradition is taken to the extreme, it then can become traditional ism , and like most other isms, traditionalism can be very harmful. Let me use a traditional illustration to describe this phenomenon. You may have, at some time in the past, heard another preacher tell this story. It's been around for a while. A new husband watched curiously as his bride prepared to place a ham in the oven.