ARE RITUALS IMPORTANT?

By David Woodbury

In our contemporary world ritual and tradition are often viewed with a deal of cynicism and suspicion, seen by many to be a haven for age and conservatism, and there may well be some truth in that point of view. However, a closer look at ritual discloses some quite positive attributes which can enhance the quality of life for families and individuals.

One of the main characteristics that make for strong families is family ritual. Emile Durkheim, a French sociologist, argues quite forcibly, that ritual is a necessary and healthy part of any social institution; be it Church, club or family. Durkheim teaches that ritual is a powerful means for generating solidarity. He suggests that families that have developed high levels of ritual have more stable marriages and healthier children than those who have low levels of ritual. In the absence of consistent ritual, families tend to fall apart morally and psychologically.

When I first encountered this concept, being one who is wary of rituals, I brushed it aside as having little importance. But when I got to think about it, about my own family and childhood, I became aware that there is something of paramount importance here. There is a sense in which those things in life that are noble and worthy, cannot always be put into words. Words are important for the exchange of ideas, but very often those things which are most deeply felt must be expressed in music, art, and ritual. Ritual gives us a sense of deeper meaning, deeper than words can express. Ritual is an attempt to say something which cannot otherwise be adequately expressed. Perhaps it is a human attempt to express the inexpressible.

Perhaps when we ponder that unique Australian commemoration that we call Anzac Day, there is the realisation that words are inadequate to express our feelings. And so it is that we have instituted a ritual, not to glorify war and killing, as some would have us believe, but to express feelings of nationhood, of honour for the bravery of ordinary Australians.

Some of the greatest experiences in life are found in ritual. Many of the Psalms of David are tied in with the ritual worship in the temple. There seems to be greater meaning and importance to Christmas and Easter because of the ritual that surrounds them. There are probably very few of us who don't have some very special memories of a Christmas or an Easter.

Following up on this thought of family rituals, Tony Campolo makes the observation that Churches that are strong on ritual are generally more stable than those who are low on ritual He goes on to point out that the Roman Catholic Church has run into serious stability problems, which all seem to stem from the decrease in ritual brought about by Vatican II. And when I come to think of it I have heard more than a few Catholics disappointed in the decline in the ritual of the Church.

Campolo goes on to say that families that have a great deal of ritual are usually the ones that are the most solid and secure. "They seem to be able to impart to their children the values and truths which they believe to be of ultimate value. Ritualistic families have proportionately fewer juvenile delinquents, and their children are psychologically healthier." There is a sense in which family rituals give children something to hang onto in a world that is rapidly changing. It can give them a sense of belonging and a sense of direction in life, in a world that seems to have lost its way.

There is something special about the ritual of a marriage ceremony. I think for those of us who are married; to hear a young couple making their vows to each other and God, forcibly reminds us, perhaps even emotionally remind us of our own wedding day and what it meant to us. There is a sense in which rituals renews the past with its attendant values.

While the Bible may not make any specific direction as to ritual within the family, it does, however, encourage the use of rituals to remind people of important events. Ritual only becomes a danger when the ritual itself eclipses the meaning of the event it celebrates. And when one peruses the pages of the Old Testament we find that the Old Testament families were rich in ritual and tradition. When the nation of Israel was threatened with breakdown through changing lifestyles, ancient customs and faith were reaffirmed to undergird the family. (Interpreters Bible Dictionary ‑ Vol. 2 page 240)

There are probably no stronger family groups than those found among Jewish people. Research in the United States has shown that there are fewer divorces and family problems among Jewish people than any other ethnic group. The musical "Fiddler on the Roof,' is all about the traditions and rituals of Jewish families. Without their traditions, says Tevye, their lives would be as shaky as a fiddler on the roof. One cannot help but feel that the major ingredient in their stability is their faith, ritual and tradition.

Vincent Taylor, the principal tutor of Wesley College in Leeds, in his article, The Life and Ministry of Jesus, says that "doubtless he was taught by His parents the history and traditions of His people." The Gospel gives us a picture of the family of Christ as being very religious and traditional. We see Jesus worshiping in the temple, attending the various feasts and observing the Holy days of the Jewish religion. It would seem that ritual played an important part in His life.

It may well be in this hi-tech age when we are overloaded by information, we have devalued things like ritual and tradition and not understood the significant role they play in human development and nurture.  Perhaps there is a real sense in which rituals and traditions keep us from error when life is confusing and uncertain. The reality is that when important and crucial rituals and traditions are discarded they are all but impossible to resurrect and along with their demise, humanity may become a little poorer.