Traditions vs. traditions

A little girl is watching her mother as she is preparing a roast for dinner. She notices that her mother cuts off both ends of the roast and asks her mother, "why did you do that?" The mother looks at her daughter and says, "I don't know, I guess because your grandmother did it". At this, the mother calls up her mother and asks her why she cut off the ends of the roast when preparing it, and the grandmother replies, "I don't know, I always did it because your grandmother did it". The grandmother calls up the great-grandmother and asks her why she always cut off the ends of the roast, to which the great-grandmother replied, "I did it because the oven was too small to hold the entire roast".

We in the christian church hold a lot of traditions that we don't really know why we do them and then some that we do. This is where the distinction of Big "T" tradition vs. Small "T" tradition comes into play. Tradition (big T) is something that we do knowing why we do it without a routine involved, but tradition (small t) is something that we do just because we've always done it and it's was done before us.

1. Why do we read our bibles? Do we only do this to be good christians? Do we read it for the history lesson? Do we read it so that we can soak up the "inspired word of God"?

2. Why is it we only have one or two people who preach? Aren't there other people who have this gifting of public speaking?

3. Why do we sing three songs and then have a meet and greet and prayer and scripture comes later in the service.

THese are all Small T traditions, but what do we hold as a Big T tradition? I think of Communion as a Big T, but some do this every week...could this turn it into a small T? and if it does turn it into a small t, is this because people do it without the conviction and rememberance every week? Any other Big T's that churches do?

thoughts?
rizzo

cd I am listening to: Sgt. Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band...phenomenal.