We have been thinking in one of my theology classes about the sources of theology. God's revelation in Jesus Christ is clearly the most important; the recording of that revelation in Scripture is also important. The context is also very important to the theology produced and in recent years that all theology is contextual is gradually being accepted. The role tradition is more ambiguous.
As Protestant Evangelicals we have tended to repeat the Reformation slogan of Sola Scripture, only Scripture. By accepting the role of context, we have started to recognise that there is more than Scripture in our theology but tradition we have left to the Roman Catholics and Orthodox. Tradition does not mean things such as the assumption of Mary or the Infallibility of the Pope. When we refer to "tradition" we refer to the words said about the Gospel. So liturgy, worship style, theology and up to the whole life of the church is tradition. Recognising tradition saves us from sacralising our own theology.
I love Gustav Mahler's phrase when he said "Tradition is tending the flame, it's not worshiping the ashes".
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