Category Image Prayer and Fasting - an Integral Part of Christianity


So, the question has arisen as to whether or not fasting, in particular, although you could broaden it on Scriptural grounds to be prayer and fasting (since they often occur together), is really just an interesting external, or whether it is integral to the faith.

I'm going to attempt to avoid making any comparisons between Orthodoxy and other "Christian Confessions" on this point. I think that is not necessarily relevant. Rather, I'm going to attempt to address this from an Orthodox perspective entirely. Please forgive the mistakes I'm sure to make, as I am only in the process of learning this in the first place. This is deep stuff, and I'm unlikely to do it justice.

Therefore also now, saith the Lord, turn ye even to me with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning...

So we read in the prophet Joel . Why is it that the Lord commands that we are turn to Him with fasting? Isn't that just some sort of an external rule that has little significance with regard to a true, saving faith? This begs not only the question of what is "the faith", as in that which was once delivered unto the Saints, but also what is the point of Christianity?

So, I'll address the second question first, as I think it answers the first question quite nicely. Is it simply to get to heaven? Sort of a "get out of hell free" card? That is sort of the simple modern answer. The question seems to be, "am I going to hell or not?" This, in turn, leads to the situation where any effort to imply that somebody else's belief system might be erroneous is equivalent of telling them that they are going to hell. The Orthodox view of salvation depends on a great number of things, but most prominently on the incarnation and crucifixion, and the resurrection. One very challenging issue to tackle is that of the incarnation. In a nutshell, Orthodoxy sees the incarnation as being a necessary step in order that humanity can attain to a place where it is able to partake of the divine nature. As the Church Fathers put it, become God (not become a God, but rather become united with God - partake of his uncreated energies). Keep this in mind, for a brief moment, and I shall return to it.

I became aware a number of years ago, of the correlation between leprosy and sin in the Old Testament. This becomes readily apparent in a couple of places, and particularly so if you are used to having your confession heard. The first place that this becomes apparent is in Leviticus, where the priest is given the responsibility of examining lepers and determining whether or not they are healthy (or clean) and may return to the assembly (aka Church). If you think about it, this is what priests do in confession - especially in the case of notorious sinners - where they may need to restore the penitent sinner to communion. The second place where this becomes obvious is in the story of Naaman , the Syrian general who is a leper. He seeks healing from God's prophet, and is, in turn, directed to bathe in the river Jordan - foreshadowing the Baptism of our Lord. Of course, the New Testament is filled with healing miracles. For the longest time, I thought they were interesting metaphors, but I don't think it dawned on me until fairly recently that these stories were more than simply metaphors. It is well known in Orthodoxy (but apparently not so well known even by those of us who thought we knew Orthodoxy from the outside), that Christianity is about having our souls healed .

Having our souls healed is a necessary action in order for us to be fully restored to what we should have been before the fall, united with God and partakers of His nature . Note how St. Peter says that the corruption we have escaped is in the world through lust.

The process by which this happens begins with our baptism and chrismation. In the first case becoming united with Christ, in the second receiving the Holy Spirit. From there on out, we undergo a life of asceticism and prayer, receiving grace through the Sacraments (most notably the Eucharist and Confession). We look to confession both as a means of receiving God's forgiveness for our ongoing transgressions and as a place to receive counsel on overcoming our sinful tendencies. The asceticism, which was my focus here, anyways, is all about learning to govern our passions. St. Paul refers to this in several locations. It is basically overcoming the desires of the flesh - as this dying to self is what allows us to grow closer to God.

So, if this is what Christianity is about, then faith, the belief that this healing is what we're about, would demand that we engage in the ascetical struggle. So rather than being some superficial thing we do, it is, rather, quite integral.

Posted: Tuesday - February 13, 2007 at 10:27 PM          

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