Part two of our weekly series, the Berne Theses, still speaking today.
2- The Church of Christ makes no laws and commandments without the Word of God. Hence human traditions are no more binding on us than they are founded in the Word of God.
It was an error of the Church of the fifth magnitude when it diluted Scripture with Tradition. While tradition certainly has a part to play, its part ends where Scripture speaks. Where Scripture is silent, tradition is free to share it’s opinion.
The vaunting of tradition to a voice co-equal with Scripture has caused,throughout the history of Christianity, nothing but problems. This is precisely why the framers of the Berne Theses rejected such co-equality.
Catholics, though, are not the only ones immersed in a sort of ‘traditionalism’ which usurps Scripture. Baptists and Methodists and Presbyterians too can be found to practice a ‘we’ve never done it that way before’ spirituality. Tradition often serves as a master rather than an informer.
For all Christians, however, Scripture alone is the final court of appeal. Not practice or tradition or personal opinion. That is what Berne asserts.
Zwinglius Redivivus 