Living Tradition, Not Blind Inheritance

A living tradition invites us to grow, not just conform. It connects us to centuries of insight while also challenging us to evolve. Being part of something ancient doesn’t mean we’re stuck in the past. Traditions can breathe, shift, and mature, just as we do. Some hold us back, others call us forward. It took time to see that we’re not here to protect the tradition from change—we’re here to help it stay alive. There’s a difference between a living tradition and a dying or dead one. That means embracing wisdom from the past without pretending it has all the answers. We seek a tradition that values humility, learning, and love. When tradition becomes a shared commitment to growth and not a cage, we find something worth living for.

May we walk with courage in a living tradition
that grows through humility, love,
and the will to keep learning.

(inspired by Brian McLaren, Carmen Acevedo Butcher, James Finley, and Randy Woodley, The Importance of Tradition)