Marking Time: Forming Spirituality through the Christian Year

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Mark i ng T ime : Formi ng Sp i r i tua l i t y through the Chr i s t i an Year

2. This tradition predates the definitions of Roman Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, Anglican, Protestant, and Independent categories of church government and policies.

3. This tradition represents the teaching of the Church as it has understood the Authoritative Tradition (the Holy Scriptures) from the beginning, and summarizes those essential truths that Christians of all ages have confessed and believed. 4. The Great Tradition is ubiquitous in the sense that these confessions of faith and worship have been embraced by the whole Church (Catholic, Orthodox, and Protestant), which assents to its core confessions (i.e., the Nicene Creed).

5. The essentials of the faith have been concisely given definition by Vincent of Lerins, “ What has been believed everywhere, always, and by all .”

6. In the centrality of faith, worship, and obedience to Christ as Lord and Savior of the world, the Church reflects this core dogma, which finds its summation and fulfillment in his person and work. 7. Note: from earliest times, Christians have expressed their devotion to God in confession through observances of the Church Year, a pattern of reflection, worship, and service which summarizes and reenacts the events of Christ’s life.

C. The importance of the Great Tradition in the Church today

1. The Great Tradition (sometimes called the “classical Christian tradition”) is defined by Robert E. Webber as follows: “[It is] the broad outline of Christian belief and practice developed from the Scriptures between the time