Is traditionalism bullshit?

[Michael B]

For me, tradition is respecting the voices of those who have come before me. I can choose what to take on myself or what to move on from, but I start from a stance of respectful and attentive listening. The Benedictine tradition, for example, has produced peaceful and prayerful communities across centuries of violence and warfare. The 'Rule' of St. Benedict seems to have something worth listening to. In his Rule, however, Benedict himself tells people to adjust things as people see fit. Pragmatism and flexibly are part of the Benedictine tradition itself.