The Great Tradition

When we say we want to cultivate Apprenticeship in a world of autonomy, what we mean is we believe we don’t always know what is best for us. We are under the care of a Chief Shepherd, who cares for and directs his sheep through the Church. In recognizing that we need to be led by another, we seek to embody this principle by observing something called The Great Tradition.

There is not one definition of The Great Tradition, but broadly it refers to the core of Christian thought and practice throughout various times and places. It’s what C.S. Lewis was getting at when he wrote Mere Christianity: not seeking to reduce the faith, but rather asking, ‘what are the core things the church has returned to time and again, despite differences of culture and the biases of the age.’

When we think of The Great Tradition, we think of those things held in common across time: Creeds, the liturgy of our Sunday gathering, hymns, prayers, the Church Calendar, spiritual practices, and the rhythms offered by the Prayer Book. We want to challenge ourselves in our apprenticeship to Jesus by intentionally incorporating rhythms and practices from The Great Tradition so that we do not develop tunnel-vision in our pursuit of conformity to Christ.

As you seek to take on Apprenticeship to Jesus, look for ways you can participate in The Great Tradition, too, especially as we observe the Church Calendar together in our Sunday worship and seasonal guides.