This will probably be the least satisfying posting, both for myself and for those reading this. Remember that it took decades for the Church to work out the four negatives (only-begotten, recognized in two natures, without confusion, without change, without division, without separation) that define our Lord Jesus Christ. I have very little faith that I can give a good via negativa description of Holy Tradition.
But, perhaps I can give some rough outlines. What is not Holy Tradition?
Holy Tradition is not merely a collection of written canons and decisions of Ecumenical Councils, as though it is a Holy Law. However, neither is it a set of helpful suggestions that may be altered at any time by any hierarch or province whenever they feel that economia is needed. Nevertheless, canons can and do evolve as needed, under the guidance of the Holy Spirit.
Holy Tradition is not a set of approved writers, all of whom agree in all details of their theology, passing down a well-defined theological base. But, neither does it include any writer who has ever written. That is, it is not true that the writers of the Shepherd of Hermes or the Gospel of Thomas, etc., have, or even should have, equal weight with the Fathers of the Church. The writers’ viewpoint may be of historical interest, but is not part of the deposit of the Faith. Please note that Holy Tradition is kept alive as our holy writers continue to write and reflect upon the deposit received.
Holy Tradition is not a set of unchangeable Liturgies, which evolved to a certain point, but may now evolve no more or be retrogressed to an earlier iteration. But, neither is it an eternally changeable worship that has neither skeleton nor clear link to the past. For instance, at this point in the Church’s life, it is overwhelmingly clear (worldwide) that the acceptable worship of the Church has a certain liturgical shape and uses vestments that are descended from clothing worn at the time of the Church’s beginning. I have no problem with stating that Anabaptist, etc., styles of worship are not in accord with Holy Tradition.
Holy Tradition is not the expression of the Church tied to one particular culture, as though that culture had become a rule that governed all expressions of the Church in all countries. But, neither is Holy Tradition “free” of the ancient cultures. Rather, God birthed the Church in a specific culture (the Roman Empire in all its heterogeneity) which He had prepared beforehand so that it could impart a necessary skeleton to the Church, a skeleton with a very high inheritance from Judaism, but as mediated through the experience of the Roman Empire. (See back at the prior paragraph for one expression of this.)
Holy Tradition is not the Holy Spirit speaking through people as though they were simply loudspeakers meant to give us a direct and unmediated Word from God. But neither is Holy Tradition simply the ruminations of wise people giving wise advice to the Church. In that sense, Holy Tradition is like the Incarnation in that in it one can see both the divine and the human. But, it is unlike the Incarnation in that it is not perfect like our Lord is perfect. But, Holy Tradition does participate in the Incarnation, as do the sacraments, the ministries, etc.
I suspect I could say more, but this gives a general outline of how I see Holy Tradition. Perhaps in my next (and truly final) posting, I can speak about some indirect effects of Holy Tradition.
—MORE TO COME—
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