A way of thinking and being that holds the past and future in tension, not in opposition, is crucial to the growth and vitality of Christian institutions. Traditioned innovation is an inner-biblical way of thinking theologically about the texture of human life in the context of God's gracious and redemptive self-disclosure.

Our resources, while not exhaustive, will allow you to explore this topic more fully. The foundational resources are important for the development of transformative leaders. The formational resources are of a different sort. These are meant to spark your imagination by introducing you to stories and ideas that have surprising insight into the practice of Christian leadership.

Foundational Resources

• The Vindication of Tradition by Jaroslav Pelikan - The 1983 Jefferson Lecture in the Humanities describes the difference between tradition and traditionalism: "Tradition is the living faith of the dead; traditionalism is the dead faith of the living." (For further reflection, see a column on traditioned innovation by L. Gregory Jones.)
• Making Room by Christine Pohl – Explores the history of hospitality alongside contemporary communities of hospitality to help the church recover the practice
• Reclaiming the Great Commission by Bishop Claude Payne and Hamilton Beazley – A vision and model for transforming the contemporary church by reclaiming the power of first century Christianity

Formational Resources

• The Plausibility of Life by Marc Kirschner and John Gerhart – Fills in some of the holes of current evolutionary thinking and provides a unique look at how innovation can be founded in tradition (for further thoughts, see L. Gregory Jones’ reflection on a biological example of traditioned innovation)
• The Search for Social Entrepreneurship by Paul Charles Light – An account of the formation of the field of social entrepreneurship in the last 30 years (for more exploration, see L. Gregory Jones’ discussion on why the best socially entrepreneurial organizations have consistently been faith-based)
• Improvisation by Samuel Wells – Describes the theatrical practice of improvisation and uses it as a model for ethical thinking (or further exploration on improvisation in leadership, read an interview with Samuel Wells and see F&L content by Samuel Wells.)
• How to Change the World by David Bornstein – The story of local leaders who found innovative ways to serve their communities
• Culture Making by Andy Crouch – Makes the case that Christians must not just consume or condemn culture but create it. (For further reflection see a video of Andy Crouch on Christian, culture and power)