"Tradition" is a problematic word in the twenty-first century, legitimately evoking both deep respect and hostility, comfort and angst, feelings of nostalgia and anti-institutional rhetoric. In many circles, traditions have long been associated with the marginalization and oppression of certain groups, including racial, ethnic, and cultural minorities, at the same time that they have been extolled as anchors for the Christian faith and identity. So, given this uneven history, what sort of future does tradition have within Christianity?

It has always been my belief that much that is precious and good is unintentionally lost when traditions are discarded or forgotten. Traditions as loci of power and privilege must, of course, be confronted and held accountable for the ways they damage, oppress, and imprison others, but I believe that there is much we can do to redeem traditions from the more shameful chapters of their past. The Christian story is one of salvation from sin and death, and "tradition" can also participate through divine and human action in this process of redemption.

As Christians, we are called to learn and engage deeply with tradition, and yet we must be careful not to let nostalgia idealize some previous incarnation of the Church as a "golden age". Our active engagement requires an open and patient posture that will allow us to creatively re-vision, reinscribe, and renew our traditions, so that they may continue to be portals of grace for future generations. Rituals, doctrine, spiritual practices and devotions, and other bearers of Christian tradition have always been examined and critiqued within the Church, which have allowed them to remain authentic and relevant throughout the centuries.

Part of our vocation as Christians, whether lay or ordained, is to develop our own critical lens for engaging tradition, and to place this lens in dialogue with the perspectives of sisters and brothers who have gone before us: mystics and martyrs, priests and poets, theologians and scholars. As they have made the Church's traditions their own, so must we by providing a bold and visible witness of the life-giving power of tradition. This is a serious enterprise, to be sure, but also one full of joy, love, and yes, even humor.