Throwback Thursday: On the Benefits and Significance of Tradition
Note: This was published May 27, 2022. ~ Ed.
I’ve recently been working my way through Roger Scruton’s How to Be a Conservative (2019), and I’ve found it to be quite engaging, thoughtful and thought-provoking, and very helpful. He’s a clear thinker and a great writer, and I look forward to reading more of his books in the future. In the present case, I was particularly struck by the following paragraphs (from the second chapter, “Starting from Home”), in which he discusses the benefits and significance of tradition for life together in the world. His book deals with political and societal life, not with the life of the Church per se, although he does make occasional references to the history and traditions of the Church. In any case, his observations on the role and value of traditions for a community offer helpful commentary on the place and purpose of the Church’s traditions, as well.