Tradīciju vara
The power of traditions

Summary/Abstract: Written in 1983, this essay by the Latvian scholar of religions Haralds Biezais (1909-1995) was first published in Sweden, in a collection compiled by Auseklis, the association of the former Theology students of the University of Latvia. Here the essay is reprinted by a kind permission of Biezais’ widow Liene Neulande. The author defines tradition as a transmission from one generation to another of various ideas, norms of social life, and the notions of the good, the evil, the beautiful and the repulsive. H. Biezais discusses two aspects of the concept of tradition. On the one hand, the concept refers to a process in which all human beings inevitably are deeply involved so that their existence is unthinkable without this involvement. On the other hand, throughout the history human beings have endeavoured to question their involvement in the tradition. H. Biezais concludes that although its externalized symbolical forms gradually die off the tradition as such retains a formidable power: through our experiencing souls it both binds us to the past and brings us closer to the future. By the same token, the tradition allows us to avoid revolutionary upheavals.

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