Conflict in a church can be so debilitating. Can I get an amen? In the words of one church consultant, “Christ is the reason why many enter the pastorate and conflict is the reason many of them leave.”
Richard Hooker (1554-1600) lived in a day when the church was being torn apart by conflict. One issue that sharply divided believers was the relationship between Scripture and tradition. Catholics regarded the Bible and tradition as equally authoritative while Puritans elevated Scripture to the highest place. In the process, some Puritans effectively trashed fifteen hundred years of church history and noble tradition.
Richard was a Reformer who sought to find a middle way in the dispute over Scripture and tradition. He urged the church to unite on essential beliefs while exercising forbearance with one another on secondary matters. Scripture, reason and tradition must all work together to support God’s work in the world. His seminal work, Of the Laws of Ecclesiastical Polity, may not be a sizzling title but it contains substantial insights on the interplay between Scripture and tradition. Richard makes three essential points: 1. he affirms the absolute authority of Scripture whenever it speaks plainly, 2. he acknowledges the vital role reason plays in learning how to obey Scripture, 3. he recognizes that if Scripture is silent or ambiguous on a topic, then church tradition is consulted.
We join Richard in praying to find the middle road in the cause of truth: