THE ROLE OF CHURCH TRADITION IN PROTESTANTISM (the case of Evangelical Christians baptists)
The Protestant doctrinal principle Sola Scriptura is traditionally interpreted as validation of the highest authority to the Bible through the renouncing of Holy Tradition, oral and written church traditions. The article considers the evolution of the concept of Tradition in the history of Church and presents the alternative opinion that the fathers of Reformation addressed the written tradition of the Early Church. This opinion is supported by the analysis of a number of works by the Church Fathers and Lutheran symbolic books. The article presents an analysis of doctrines, church hymns and the organizational structure of a local church of Evangelical Christians baptists - one of the most common denominations in Russia and in the world. It proves the important role of the oral tradition of the studied denomination and its kinship to the Rule of the Faith of the Early Church which, in turn, argues that Evangelical Christians-Baptists follow the traditions of Magisterial Reformation.