Tradition and nostalgia both seek to bring the past to bear on present and future practice.
Tradition will do so in a way that encourages a view that looks forward with optimism, thankful for the past.
Nostalgia will do so in a way that nurtures a view that looks forward with pessimism, longing to return to the past.
Some churches think they’re traditional, but they’re really just nostalgic.
From Internet Monk:
Tradition encompasses a variety of received beliefs, practices, and associations that are passed down from generation to generation. Like nostalgia, tradition seeks to bring the past forward into present experience.
However, nostalgia is primarily affective in nature. Nostalgia is wistful remembrance. The word itself comes from two Greek words which, when combined together, signify “homesickness.” One of course can be nostalgic about tradition, but the two concepts should not be equated.
Nostalgia is something in which we indulge. That’s fine, as long as we treat it like a piece of rich cheesecake. Making a steady diet of it is not good for our heart health. The most dangerous thing about nostalgia is when it assigns sentimental value to past experiences to such an extent that it virtually defines those experiences as “truth.”Read the whole post here.
mgpcpastor's blog 