I have a question about fasting. I have never read the Didache, but I believe it contains information which deals with fasting. In the first century church, did Christians fast twice a week on days differing from Jewish practice? If so, why don't we fast twice a week? Also, why do Catholics fast during Lent and (sometimes) during Advent? Why do they not eat meat on Fridays? -- Emily Pfister (Washington DC)
The Didache, an early Christian work which speaks of the practice of fasting (among other things), does indeed record the practice you mention. And yet as this is not commanded in the Bible, we are under no obligation at all to follow it. Even if the apostles did follow such a practice, the Spirit of Christ did not lead them to instruct us to do the same (John 14:26, 16:13). The Catholic practice of a Wednesday and Friday fast -- common by around the third century -- was eventually commuted to abstinence from meat only (fish was an exception) on one day a week.
Again, we do not believe that there is any biblical authority in the Catholic practice that would require us to institute regular fast days. Yes, the church did become rather fond of fasting (as in the Lenten period). Yet in time they also became fond of calling men "father," forbidding marriage, worshipping relics, and praying to Mary as the "mother of God."
It really boils down to the question of authority. Christians are bound only by biblical authority, not the traditional authority of organized religion.
This article is copyrighted and is for private use and study only.
