My wife (who is wicked smart) told me I need to stop apologizing for posting thoughts on Hart. So here is more and I am not sorry!!!

Hart does not, however, stop with a lecture on the importance of tradition, but moves on to discuss how it provides a launching pad for further development. In fact, Hart suggests that we absolutely cannot hold on to tradition as if it is something that can transcend all time and place without change. Hart goes on to say that this attitude, that does not allow genuine critical, reflective thinking, is a symptom not of sheer confidence in the truth of a person’s views, but is a symptom of insecurity. This is a very important point to me and one that I was looking for him to make as he presented on tradition. I have been in the middle of the debate that is still roaring in the evangelical church between traditional or contemporary styles of worship. While this debate, in many respects, is simply trite, it illustrates Hart’s point beautifully. While his presentation of tradition allows a contemporary proponent to see the error of rejecting and disrespecting the traditional church, it also supports the development and growth that contemporary elements bring to the church. Many traditionalists could benefit from Hart’s suggestion that opening tradition to critical and reflective thought might lead to growth in Christianity and will help secure it for the next generation.