Scripture, Tradition & Reason
May the Lord be with you.
In the Episcopal church, we are called to live out our faith
on a daily basis, whether we are at home, school, work or
recreation. The cornerstones of our faith are Scripture,
tradition and reason.
Scripture
Scripture is the word of
God contained in the Old and New testaments of the Bible.
The 39 books of the Old Testament contain the story of God's
love from Creation up to the birth of his son, Jesus Christ.
They contain God's laws as He gave them to the Hebrew
people. The New Testament contains Christ's teachings, the
accounts of his life as told by his followers, and the
beginning of his church. It is written in 27 books. Within
an Episcopal worship service, Scripture is read in the
lessons, the Gospel (the teachings of Jesus), the Psalms
(poems from the Old Testament) and other prayers.
Additionally, two- thirds of our guide to worship, the Book
of Common Prayer, comes directly from the Old and New
Testaments.
Tradition
We are not Christians in
isolation but are part of a living faith that spans 2000
years. Tradition is the embodiment of our experience as
Christians throughout the centuries. The heart of our
tradition is expressed through the Bible, the Creeds
(statements of faith, written in first centuries of the
church's existence), the Sacraments (the Lord's supper
and Baptism), and the ordained ministry passed on by Christ
to his Church. Our tradition is expressed with many voices,
among which are a variety of worship styles, languages,
cultures, architecture and music. Our tradition encourages
this diversity. We seek to value the life and story each
person can bring to the community of faith. As in a
multi-textured tapestry, each person's offering is woven into
the life of the whole, making it stronger and more
beautiful.
Reason
Each one of us, with God's
help, makes a decision about how we use tradition and
Scripture in our lives. A personal relationship with God
allows us to realize and celebrate our lives to the fullest.
The gift of reason, as a complement to Scripture and
tradition, leads us to seek answers to our own questions and
to grow spiritually. Being active in a community of faith
strengthens us to carry our faith into the world. Weaving
scripture, tradition and reason together, we strengthen our
faith and grow as children of God.
* * *
Dear Lord, you promise to give rest to all who are weary,
you promise to feed all who are hungry, you promise to
welcome all who seek you: be present, O Christ, with us as
we week a deeper relationship with you and guide us in our
journey that we may experience your love in all that we do
in your name. Amen
May the peace of the Lord be always with you.
