Jesus said, "When you fast..."

[gtsecc]

So, we are to fast - everyone agrees with this right?
So, if traditionaly, Christians fast during Lent - is there a reasoon not to - I mena, of course we don't ahve to, but is it not a good idea to fast corporately?

[AngCath]

Fasting is a great spiritual discipline. I think we all agree on that point. I'm not sure I understand the question

[ContraMundum]

I'm not too sure about corporate fasting in the sense of it being commanded or enforced but if we all fast as one according to our conscience (listening to God individually guiding our own fasts) I think it could be very powerful in our walk and our warfare against the enemy.

[gtsecc]

Should Anglicans fast corporately for Lent or not?
I thoguht we all did.
i thought it was a great idea.
It bring unity with my friends from other traditions - but, recently I ahev learned some Anglicans eshew fasting. What do folks here think. how do you approach it?

[ContraMundum]

Should Anglicans fast corporately for Lent or not?
I thoguht we all did.
i thought it was a great idea.
It bring unity with my friends from other traditions - but, recently I ahev learned some Anglicans eshew fasting. What do folks here think. how do you approach it?

It's not uncommon for people to reject fasting for their own reasons. It's not just an Anglican thing, really. I have many Roman C friends, and only one of them fasts for Lent, and he always breaks it. Not one of my manifold Greek Orthodox friends fasts for anything except sleep.

Wheat, chaff, sheep, goats, saints, sinners, backsliders, sanctified, God will sort us all out and yet wants to love us all and help us too.

[TomUK]

When Jesus said "when you fast" what does the word 'fast' actually mean? Does it mean simply food?

[Colabomb]

Fasting is a personal discipline between a person and God.

Traditional seasons of fasting are neat. But no one should feel pressed to fast if they do not want to.

Paul said not to judge people on issues such as this.

If one fasts, it is acceptable. If one does not, it is acceptable.

[gtsecc]

Does this mean Jesus is at least suggesting to us to fast?

[Colabomb]

Does this mean Jesus is at least suggesting to us to fast?
No, I read it as saying, when you fast, should you decide to, don't run around in sackloth.

[TomUK]

No, I read it as saying, when you fast, should you decide to, don't run around in sackloth.

In that case wouldn't Jesus have said 'if you fast'?

[Colabomb]

In that case wouldn't Jesus have said 'if you fast'?
When you do backflips off the highdive.... try not to hit your head.

This sentence does not mean that you are going to do a highdive. It simply means if you do so, try not to hit your head.

[Colabomb]

(Col 2:16) Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of a feast day or a new moon or a sabbath day:

[karen freeinchristman]

Should Anglicans fast corporately for Lent or not?
I thoguht we all did.


When you say, 'fast corporately', what exactly do you mean? Do you mean the whole parish fasts together, the same things at the same times?

The scripture didn't say anything about doing it corporately. Only about keeping it quiet.

[erin74]

I would have thought to do it corporately could lead to the exact problems that Jesus was warning against....

I think fasting is a personal choice thing - not a commanded thing. My dh went on a retreat with forced fasting - it did not bring about the desired effect for most. I just don't think it works that way.

I also don't think it's just food - this is just postulation -but I would think that the comments made by Paul in 1 Corinthians about spouses not withholding sex from one another except for a time of prayer, would indicate a type of fasting.

[Yahweh Nissi]

When you do backflips off the highdive.... try not to hit your head.

This sentence does not mean that you are going to do a highdive. It simply means if you do so, try not to hit your head.

True - but it would be an odd thing to say to someone whom you were not expecting to go highdiving. I think Jesus' statement does basically expect that people will fast. See also Mark 2:20 "But the time will come when the bridegroom will be taken away from them, and on that day they will fast." Obviously this was specifically refering to the disciples in this case, and should not be seen as a command to everyone to fast, but it does add weight to the idea that fasting is more then just a suggestion, but a thing that followers of Jesus will generally be expected to do.

(Col 2:16) Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of a feast day or a new moon or a sabbath day:

Absolutely - no one should try and force a particular time of fasting on anyone.

As to gtsecc's origional question - I do abstain from something over Lent. As you say, we know we are meant to practice abstinance, so why not at the time that it has traditionally been done? But that is because I find this way of doing things useful - I do not think that there is any particular benefit to corporate fasting, and whilst I tend to work well by sticking to patterns and set ways of doing things, not everyone is like this.

Love YN.

[ContraMundum]

Jesus left no directives about when, where or exctly how to fast. He did tell us a little bit about what attitude to take when we fast, but that's about it.

[Tetzel]

So, we are to fast - everyone agrees with this right?
So, if traditionaly, Christians fast during Lent - is there a reasoon not to - I mena, of course we don't ahve to, but is it not a good idea to fast corporately?

Yes. Remember the words of Jesus! "I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get."

[higgs2]

I don't actually fast because of blood sugar problems. But I will give up something in particulars, in the case of this lent breads, starches and sweets.

There is a gentleman in our congregation who gives up call brand liquor for his even cocktail and instead subsists on well brand. So no more tanqueray til easter in the old gin and tonics. He is deeply serious about this.

[higgs2]

Yes. Remember the words of Jesus! "I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get."

And his Mother said, "You can still set a nice table even if you don't eat meat. Go get the placemats!"

[gtsecc]

The entire church has understood part of this to be fasting during Lent. I would not expect this detail (Fasting during Lent) of the tradition to be in the Bible, and it hadn't really even begun then, but later on it did. This tradition brings unity with other traditon that do it. Furthur more, It is said to bring us closer to Christ - almost all the writing about it over the years and geography say that fasting brigns disapline and greater awareness of Christ.

[erin74]

Yes. Remember the words of Jesus! "I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get."

umm - context

Luke 18:9-15



9 To some who were confident of their own righteousness and looked down on everybody else, Jesus told this parable:
10 "Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector.
11 The Pharisee stood up and prayed about himself: 'God, I thank you that I am not like other men-- robbers, evildoers, adulterers-- or even like this tax collector.
12 I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.'
13 "But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, 'God, have mercy on me, a sinner.'
14 "I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted."
15 People were also bringing babies to Jesus to have him touch them. When the disciples saw this, they rebuked them.


not sure if you were being serious in that quote for supporting fasting... or if you were making another point entirely.

but this is not a passage that is promoting fasting - it is to direct us to have a right attitude to our conduct. Christ was not exactly applauding the pharisee in this situation.

[Tetzel]

In that case wouldn't Jesus have said 'if you fast'?

In some languages, German for example, that is what Jesus says because both ideas are expressed with the word "wenn"

16Wenn ihr fastet, sollt ihr nicht sauer sehen wie die Heuchler; denn sie verstellen ihr Angesicht, auf daß sie vor den Leuten scheinen mit ihrem Fasten. Wahrlich ich sage euch: Sie haben ihren Lohn dahin.

[Tetzel]

umm - context

Luke 18:9-15



not sure if you were being serious in that quote for supporting fasting... or if you were making another point entirely.

but this is not a passage that is promoting fasting - it is to direct us to have a right attitude to our conduct. Christ was not exactly applauding the pharisee in this situation.

I was making a point about context. The Original post in the thread seems to be looking at words without seeing the whole sentence. Truncating the words of our Lord to "When you fast..." is a terrible way to quote scripture

[erin74]

I was making a point about context. The Original post in the thread seems to be looking at words without seeing the whole sentence. Truncating the words of our Lord to "When you fast..." is a terrible way to quote scripture

I thought you might have been - but just wanted to be sure!

[higgs2]

So, does fasting have to be fasting from food to be valid? What about the discipline of taking on something for lent rather than giving something up? In my church there are many ways that people observe lent in their own personal way, and many of them do not require fasting from food.

[karen freeinchristman]

What about the discipline of taking on something for lent rather than giving something up?

This is something my vicar tries to promote. Otherwise, it seems that people often 'give up' things like soda pop, chocolate, etc. etc., but do not take on the things which traditionally go along with fasting - like extra time spent in prayer.