There are some traditions I deeply enjoy. I love making apple butter with my husband’s family. It is a long-standing tradition that doesn’t happen as often as it used to, but when it does, it is always a wonderful blend of hard work, fun, and family time. I also cherish the annual Christmas Eve dinner we host at our house. We have had the tradition of spending Christmas Eve with our closest friends annually for decades. My immediate and extended family spend Christmas Day together. But Christmas Eve is a time set aside for our dearest friends. The table settings vary, but not much. The dinner menu varies but never off the core staples of hot crab dip for an appetizer and lamb as the main course. Traditions can be beautiful and meaningful.
Photo by Ryan Arnst on Unsplash
According to human tradition
According to the Apostle Paul, however, reliance on human traditions can also be problematic. He writes in Colossians 2:8, “See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition…and not according to Christ.” In other words, within the church, “we’ve always done it this way before” cannot function as a core value. All that we do has to be considered “according to Christ.” Our motivation for our actions is to arise from Christ and for His kingdom. Everything we do should be consistent with the character of Christ and the values of His Kingdom.
That is why disability ministry is often so challenging in the local church.
It deeply tests us, asking whether we are operating according to Christ or operating out of the human traditions of our local church culture. In the church at Colossae, Paul describes these human traditions in Colossians 2:21 as “Do not handle, Do not taste, Do not touch.” In churches today, when ministering to and alongside people with disabilities, our traditions might sound like this: “Do not make those noises. Do not behave that way. Do not distract me.” Yet, the Scriptures call us to do everything “according to Christ.” Not according to our preferences. Not according to our comfort zones. Not according to our firmly held traditions.
According to the Elemental Spirits of this World
Not only can human traditions rooted in the past be problematic, but the “elemental spirits of the world”—the mood and posture of the culture at large in the present—can also be destructive to the church.
“See to it that no one takes you captive…according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of this world, and not according to Christ.” Colossians 2:8
Rather than the church saying “we’ve always done it this way before,” the elemental spirits swing in the opposite direction. “We’ve never done it this way before, and everyone else is doing it in the world around us, so we need to change!” Since the culture at large is a recipient of God’s common grace, it can sometimes provide us with tools to employ. For example, Special Education research and teaching methods for improving learning do not have to come from uniquely Christian sources to be of practical value. In addition, there are many ways in which the surrounding culture can challenge us to think through issues we may not have considered deeply. That can be a good thing when it is a catalyst to dig more deeply into the counsel of God’s Word, and how it informs us in response to an issue.
What is not helpful, however, is when culturally-generated philosophy is imported wholesale without questioning which parts (or the whole) may be “not according to Christ.” What are you talking about, you may ask? Consider the core issues that are central to advocacy in Western culture. Postmodern disability advocacy puts a tremendous amount of emphasis on both identity and power.
According to secular advocacy:
Identity is self-defined.
Is that what the Scriptures teach about identity?
Do we name ourselves, or does God?
Do we reflect our image or are we created to bear His?
Power grants influence and access.
The Bible supports justice while also calling us to righteousness.
Are we meant to fight power with power in the body of Christ?
Did Jesus fight power with power or lay down his rights?
The Scriptures teach about identity—but the Biblical perspective differs from popular culture. The Scriptures teach about the appropriate use of power to do what is right and fair—that is what I propose is the definition of Biblical justice—but they do not teach the same perspective on seeking power or how to employ it as culture does. If we aim to disentangle ourselves from the “elemental spirits of this world”—the mood and posture of the culture at large in the present—then the church needs to frequently evaluate our ministries with intention and prayer in the light of Scripture.
Many of us love traditions. Let us be wise about the ones we follow and why we follow them.
Many of us enjoy new ideas. Let us be wise about the ones we believe and why we believe them.
“See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of this world, and not according to Christ.”
Steph Hubach is the author of Same Lake, Different Boat: Coming Alongside People Touched by Disability—First Edition (2006), Updated and Revised Version (2020). In collaboration with Lancaster Bible College, Steph produced a Christian Education DVD series based on Same Lake, Different Boat, which is available on YouTube. She has served as a contributing author for the Ministry Essentials Bible, The Dignity and Sanctity of Every Human Life, and Amazing Gifts: Stories of Faith Disability and Inclusion. Steph’s writing has appeared in publications such as ByFaith magazine, Focus on the Family magazine, Covenant magazine, Breakpoint online magazine, and the enCourage blog. Steph currently serves as a Research Fellow in Disability Ministries and as a Visiting Instructor in Educational Ministries with Covenant Theological Seminary.
