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Mcgrath-Christian-Theology.Pdf The Sources of Theology 219 leriving directly frorn own right; there is no privileged vantage point, no universal concept of "reason," which can pass judgment them. ations do not seem to upon Having considered Scripture and reason as theological resources, we may consider the idea rely human reason is now turn to of tradition. t principles, and, by omplete system? Just some sort of appeal to Tradition of his five principles, system. Philosophers, naybe they could use The word "tradition" implies not merely something that is handed ertain assumptions, 4 down, but an active process of reflection by which theological or spiritual ld be erected. But the insights are valued, assessed, and transmitted from one generation to lian geometry during another. Three broad approaches to tradition may be detected within analogy. It turned out Christian theology. :ach just as internally uestion cannot be an- m special merits and A Single-Source Theory of Tradition rncerning rationalism In response to various controversies within the early church, especially Le single rational prin- the threat from Gnosticism, a "traditional" method of understanding rys have been - many certain passages of Scripture began to develop. Second-century patristic appear to have been theologians such as Irenaeus of Lyons began to develop the idea of ions of their historical an authorized way of interpreting certain texts of Scripture, which he the classical western argued went back to the time of the Apostles themselves. Scripture ed. At the end of his could not be allowed to be interpreted in any arbitrary or random 'r, Alasdair Maclntyre way: it had to be interpreted within the context of the historical continuity of the Christian church. The parameters of its interpretation were historically fixed and "given." "Tradition" here means simply successors proved "a traditional way of interpreting Scripture within the community of :iples were which faith." This is a single-source theory of theology: Theology is based upon rons. One kind of Scripture, and "tradition" refers to a "traditional way of interpreting clopddie, a second Scripture." .ant, a fifth by the The mainstream Reformation adopted this approach, insisting that their French and traditional interpretations of Scripture such as the doctrine of the y diminished the - Trinity or the practice of infant baptism - could be retained, provided ;acy of the Enlight- tional justification they could be shown to be consistent with Scripture. On the basis of this observation, it will be clear that it is incorrect to suggest that the magis- terial reformers elevated private judgment above the corporate judgment :h-vaunted benefits. It of the church, or that they descended into some form of individualism. rote scathingly of the This is, however, unquestionably true of the radical Reformation (see :nment, as artificial as below). :y" is today viewed by This approach may also be discerned within the 7994 Catechism of the has argued that there Catholic Church, which draws attention to the close connection between ; to be respected in its Scripture and tradition. r 220 Sources and Methods In keeping with the Lord's command, the Gospel was handed on in position against the tJ two ways: Scripture could not be - orally, by the apostles who handed on, by the spoken word of their was a vital suppleme preaching, by the example they gave, by the institutions they estab- saving truths and rule lished, what they themselves had received whether from the lips of - and in the unwritten I Christ, from his way of life and his works, or whether they had self or from the apostl learned it at the prompting of the Holy Spirit. Vatican Council (1961 in writing, by those apostles and other men associated with the - favor of the apostles who, under the inspiration of the same Holy Spirit, commit- "traditio ted the message of salvation to writing. In order that the full and living Gospel might always be preserved in the Church the apostles left bishops as their successors. They gave them their own position of teaching authority. Indeed, the apostolic teaching, which is expressed in a special way in the inspired books, "Anabaptism," and su, was to be preserved in a continuous line of succession until the end to the Unlightenment.[ of time. This living transmission, accomplished in the Holy Spirit, is I called Tradition, since it is distinct from Sacred Scripture, though i closely connected Through Tradition, the Church, in her doc- to it. The i trine, life, and worship perpetuates and transmits to every generation i all that she herself is, all that she believes. The Father's self-com- For radical theologiani munication made through his Word in the Holy Spirit remains and Caspar Schwenld present and active in the Church. Scripture as he or shei Note the emphasis which is placed upon the role of the church as a living For the radical Sebastl organism, which passes down the content of the faith, based in Scripture, seals which none canl to each generation. "Tradition" is here understood as a living and active illumination of the Si judgl process of passing on the Christian faith, rather than as a static source of with the private revelation, independent of Scripture. judgment of the churi baptism (to which tht' non-scriptural. (Therel A Dual-Source Theory of Tradition Testament.) Similarlyl Christ were rejected i no In ihe fourteenth and fifieenth centuries a somewhat different under- The radicals had P, standing of tradition from that noted above developed. "Tradition" was wrote in 1530: "Foolisi understood to be a separate and distinct source of revelation, in addition not one even knew tl to Suipture. Scripture, it was argued, was silent on a number of points - teach. Rather, theY w; but God had providentially arranged for a second source of revelation to This approach w{ supplement this deficiency: a stream of unwritten tradition, goingback to which was anxious ti the Apostles themselves. This tradition was passed down from one gen- cal emanciPation fro; eration to another within the church. This is a dual-source theory of French Revolution) nl religious ideas of thel theology: theology is based upon two quite distinct sources/ Scripture "placed and unwritten tradition. e.s such a hiJ A belief which is not to be found in Scripture may thus, on the basis them of the need to a1 justified appeal unwritten ing about were accesr of this dual-source theory, be by an to an "A tradition. This position was defended strongly at the Council of Trent, respect for tradi' which was charged with stating and defending the Roman Catholic of the past, a seff-inl \l \ f The Sources of Theology 221, was handed on in position against the threat posed by the Reformation. Trent ruled that Scripture could not be regarded as the only source of revelation; tradition oken word of their was a vital supplement, which Protestants irresponsibly denied. "All butions they estab- saving truths and rules of conduct . are contained in the written books rer from the lips of and in the unwritten traditions, received from the mouth of christ him- whether they had self or from the apostles themselves." Interestingly, however, the Second Vatican Council (1962-5) seems to move away from this approach, in ssociated with the of Scripture" approach, noted oly Spirit, commit- favor of the "traditional interpretation above. ways be preserved These two approaches just discussed affirm the value of tradition. A cessors. They gave third approach, which in effect rejected tradition, came to be influential leed, the apostolic within the radical wing of the Reformation, often known as he inspired books, "Anabaptism," and subsequently was developed by writers sympathetic ssion until the end to the Enlightenment. the Holy Spirit, is Scripture, though hurch, in her doc- The Total Rejection of Tradition o every generation Father's self-com- For radical theologians of the sixteenth century, such as Thomas Miintzer rly Spirit remains and Caspar Schwenkfeld, every individual had the right to interpret scripture as he or she pleased, subject to the guidance of the Holy spirit. "is a book sealed with seven : the church as a living For the radical Sebastian Franck, the Bible :th, based in Scripture, seals which none can open unless he has the key of David, which is the as a living and active illumination of the Spirit." The way was thus opened for individualism, the corporate ln as a static source of with the private judgment of the individual raised above judgmenf of the church. Thus the radicals rejected the practice of infant baptism (to which the magisterial Reformation remained committed) as non-scriptural. (There is no explicit reference to the practice in the New dition Testament.) Similarly, doctrines such as the Trinity and the divinity of Christ were rejected as resting uPon inadequate scriPtural foundations. The radicals had no place whatsoever for tradition. As Sebastian Franck 'vhat different under- rped. "Tradition" was wrote in 1530: "Foolish Ambrose, Augustine, Jerome, Gregory - of whom revelation, in addition not one even knew the Lord, so help me God, nor was sent by God to a number of points - teach. Rather, they were all apostles of Antichrist." source of revelation to This approach was developed further during the Enlightenment, :adition, going back to which was anxious to liberate itself from the shackles of tradition. Politi- I down from one gen- cal emancipation from the oppression of the past (a key theme of the dual-source theory of French Revolution) meant a total abandoning of the political, social, and nct sources, Scripture religious ideas of the past. One of the reasons why Enlightenment think- ers placed such a high value upon human reason was that it relieved nay thus, on the basis them of the need to appeal to tradition for ideas; any ideas worth know- peal to an unwritten ing about were accessible to reason alone.
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