traditionalist

A traditionalist is a person who emphasizes the value of enduring customs, beliefs, and social institutions handed down through generations. The term derives from the Latin traditio, "handing down," and it is used in religious, philosophical, and political contexts to describe adherence to time-honored practices and skepticism toward rapid or radical change.

In philosophy and religious thought, Traditionalism (often capitalized as a school of thought) asserts that real knowledge rests in timeless truths conveyed by sacred traditions. The Traditionalist School, associated with René Guénon, Frithjof Schuon, Ananda Coomaraswamy, and Titus Burckhardt, critiques modernity and stresses initiation, symbolism, and the primacy of spiritual over secular authority. In some faith communities, traditionalists aim to preserve canonical rites, liturgy, and doctrinal continuity as handed down through generations.

In politics and culture, traditionalist conservatism emphasizes social order, continuity, and the preservation of inherited institutions such as family, church, and nation. It tends to be skeptical of rapid reform, globalization, and universalist ideologies, and it prioritizes prudence, stability, and local custom. Influential voices associated with this approach include early conservative writers and later thinkers such as T.S. Eliot, Russell Kirk, and Roger Scruton, who argued that societies depend on shared traditions and tested principles.

The term is used descriptively for anyone who upholds long-standing practices, or as a self-identification within various movements. It is distinct from liberal or modernist positions that foreground individual autonomy or rapid change, though interpretations of tradition vary across cultures and epochs.