the role of tradition

Traditions in Christianity should neither be rejected nor embraced. Traditions should be held, examined, and either kept or dropped based on value. Some are more timeless than others. Discern in accordance with a couple guidelines:

• A historical and cultural context molded each Christian tradition just as surely as such contexts molded the behavior of people in the Bible (to convince you of this, study the biblical occurrences of polygamy or slavery). A tradition may no longer be helpful within one's own context.
• Prudently avoid the overly "progressive" assumption that, by definition, the past is outdated and its inhabitants are more primitive. Remember that they were people who lived, not merely names. Listen to them, although the result of this "conversation" could be flat disagreement. Consider the possibility that they might have been correct about ____ .