If he is right and we are in a “New Dark Ages” for the church, “clinging” to tradition, orthodoxy, and dogma are not the solution. We need a new reformation.
“In rediscovering the gospel of salvation by faith and grace alone, Luther started to reform the Church through a reformation of theology. In the 18th century through movements like the Moravians there was a recovery of a new intimacy with God, which led to a reformation of spirituality, the Second Reformation. Now God is touching the wineskins themselves, initiating a Third Reformation, a reformation of structure.” – Wolfgang Simson
Tradition - A tradition is a ritual, belief, or object passed down within a society, still maintained in the present, with origins in the past. Common examples include holidays or impractical but socially meaningful clothes (like lawyer wigs or military officer spurs), but the idea has also been applied to social norms such as greetings. The word “tradition” itself derives from the Latin “tradere” literally meaning to transmit, to hand over, to give for safekeeping.
Jesus rebuked the pharisees for clinging to their traditions.
“You have let go of the commands of God and are holding on to the traditions of men.” And he said to them: ”You have a fine way of setting aside the commands of God in order to observe your own traditions!” (Mark 7:6-9)
Orthodoxy - The word orthodox, from Greek orthos (“right”, “true”, “straight”) + doxa (“opinion” or “belief”, related to dokein, “to think”), is generally used to mean the adherence to accepted norms, more specifically to creeds, especially in religion. So, by definition orthodoxy is adhering to accepted norms specifically related to right opinions concerning religion.
Dogma - Dogma is the established belief or doctrine held by a religion. It is not to be disputed, doubted, or diverged from, by the practitioners or believers. The term derives from Greek δόγμα meaning “that which seems to one, opinion or belief” and that from δοκέω (dokeo), “to think, to suppose, to imagine”. Dogma is basically prescribed doctrinal opinion (orthodoxy) proclaimed as unquestionably true.
“These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. They worship me in vain; their teachings are but rules taught by men.” (Mark 7:6-7)
Martin Luthor challenged the traditions and dogmatic orthodoxy of the church in his day. He questioned the un-Biblical clergy system of the Priests, believing that we are a kingdom of priests with Christ as our Great High Priest. We need no other mediator between us and God.
Luthor was also convinced that the Word of God belonged in the hands of all believers, so that they can read the truth of God for themselves. This is why he translated the Bible from Latin into German (the common language of the people), making it available to all people.
Luthor also challenged the un-Biblical practice of indulgences that had become so popular in the church. These indulgences were used for financial gain to benefit the clergy. Because the people were unable to read scripture for themselves, the Priests took advantage of their ignorance in this way.
We also know that the church was deeply entrenched in Pagan traditions and Idolatry, both of which the Protestant Reformation sought to escape. Things such as the “cult of the saints”, praying to Mary, iconography and various idols used for worship.
Like the church of the Dark Ages, we have allowed various Pagan traditions and un-Biblical practices to influence the church today, and it is time for a new Reformation in the church. We need to re-discover what it is to be the church. We need to get back to the Bible, and re-discover what the church in the New Testament was like, so that we can become the church today.
“Reformations are born out of rediscovering something ancient, something primal. They are born out of primal truths rediscovered, reimagined and radically reapplied to our lives.” -Mark Batterson
We must cling to Christ not our traditions, and be willing to grow in our faith by studying Scripture and hearing fresh revelation from the Holy Spirit, rather than being dogmatic about our orthodoxy. Anything that does not originate from Christ is open to change, and everything that does not exalt Christ must be challenged.