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Building the New on Foundations of Old
This familiar theme is taken from Paul Brain’s song Alone/Together - ‘building the new on foundations of old.’ This one sentence captures an indispensable truth – that an understanding of our foundations; our background and history is essential because it gives us a sense of ongoingness, continuity and identity with what has gone before, which in turn gives meaning to the present and direction for the future.
It is the principle of Deut 4:9 “Only be careful, and watch yourselves closely so that you do not forget the things your eyes have seen or let them slip from your heart as long as you live. Teach them to your children and to their children after them.”
We need to know where we have come from, our roots and identity in order to integrate and plant so as to bear fruit in the present and future. Chinese Proverb ‘Whoever does not know the village they are from will never find the village they are looking for.’
What do we mean when we us the term 'foundation'? Put simply, it is the basis on which a thing stands, is founded and is supported. That part of the building (often unseen) upon which all else rests. It is very important to realise that foundations are not only past, they are an essential part of the building still being built. We have an obligation to tell the story because it is a living story still being told.
The Northumbria Community has a living history; it is not static or complete but rather moving, growing, changing, something dynamic because it is life being lived. It is an ongoing challenge whenever we talk about ‘foundations of old’ to understand the difference between tradition and traditionalism. Tradition is life passed on, ongoing meaningful expressions of the distinctives, the ethos of a life lived which is both timeless and timely. Traditionalism is anachronistic, meaningless ritual which is now empty and dead. We must ever guard this life giving movement from becoming a monument however well preserved but we must also be committed to ‘passing the baton’ to the next generation.
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