Tradition and Transformation

by Dr. Heath Carpenter,  assistant dean of the College of Arts and Sciences for academic innovation and collaboration

William Sloane Coffin argued that we are all caught in the tension of recovering tradition and recovering from it. Tradition implies other ideas like heritage, custom, history and memory, each involving important parts of our lives: families, civic and religious groups, and communities large and small. History, memory, heritage and tradition are at the core of how we see ourselves, yet often they are used as philosophical metrics for creating in-groups and out-groups. 

For example, take the abstract labels conservative and liberal. I don’t use these terms in the contemporary identity politics shorthand of Democrats and Republicans but rather as worldview impulses in the context of tradition. At their core, conservatives seek to conserve, which is another way of saying they generally like the way things are. They presume that our ways of doing things are mostly good, and when we need to change, we should do so slowly and methodically or else risk tossing the baby out with the bathwater in the name of change. That’s why they are often called “traditional.” Liberals tend to believe we should be looking for ways to correct the flaws within our traditions. They hope that in the process of discerning what needs to be retained, rejected or transformed from our past, we will make life better for people. This, they would call “progress,” which is why they are often called “progressives.” It is easy to see how each worldview has something to offer.

Having just celebrated its 100th birthday, Harding provides a great example of how to think about tradition. The higher education landscape today is different in many ways from 1924, and it is essential that we innovate and change. Yet, there are bedrock values in our heritage story that we would do well to heed. 

J.N. Armstrong, Harding’s first president, has much to offer our administration, faculty and students regarding the goals of Christian higher education. And therein lies the rub.  This is all a fun philosophical exercise in the abstract, but when we consider our own families and communities, issues of tradition quickly become personal — and potentially contentious. So, instead of giving a philosophical answer for the tension between conservatism and progress, I offer a more practical checklist that I have gleaned from years of teaching and, most importantly, from my own mistakes, successes and discovery.

Resist the temptation to divide along convenient but unnecessary philosophical and political fault lines. “Progressives” and “traditionalists” often have points-of-view worth considering that don’t get their due when we lump people into in-groups and out-groups.

Focus on what author Alan Jacobs calls being “like-hearted over like-minded.” Even when we disagree over the worthiness of a tradition, we should seek common ground in shared values as the starting point for the disagreement. 

Do not let abstract words do the heavy lifting. I have tried to define words like “conversative,” “liberal” and “tradition” here, but often in our everyday talk we over rely on such words without clearly defining them. This leads to misunderstanding of what people mean when they say these words and often prohibits us from even fully understanding what we mean in the specific context. It also gives us an intellectually lazy way out of really participating in the nuanced and complicated truths of complex issues. 

Play the long game, both ways. Cultivate a broad historical worldview including many points-of-view along with a clearly articulated understanding for future goals. 

But, also, the present is the thing. The past doesn’t exist. It existed. Learn from it, but don’t live there. The future doesn’t exist. It will exist. Prepare for it, but don’t live in eternal anticipation of what is coming. Only the present exists. Give today its due. 

Don’t be afraid to ask why. My dad tells people, with weighted irony, that my first word was “why.” This has served me well as an academic but got me into a lot of trouble as a youth. I don’t mean that we should question everything for the sake of questioning everything. Some truths are settled. However, learning to ask foundational questions about why we do what we do creates a curious spirit and helps deepen our understanding. 

Only iron-man. We have a temptation to strawman opposing viewpoints wherein we create simplistic caricatures of other’s views so we can easily knock them down. Instead, we should carefully consider the best arguments and motivations of others.

Charles Pinscher says there are no “homeless actions,” meaning we make decisions and form worldviews in contexts and with our own unique desires and needs. We should understand what those needs and contexts are for ourselves and others. 

The ancient Greeks had a word for citizens who did not actively participate in civic life: “idiotes.” Participation in history-making is not just having an intellectual, philosophical or theological position, and it’s certainly not just posting something online or having a shared, common philosophical opponent. It’s contributing, often in small, ordinary ways.

Be smart and good. Seek the most intellectually honest, well-tested sources of truth, but do so from the foundation of humility, kindness and curiosity. Wisdom is the ability to apply knowledge, prudence and discretion in real time.