The guys lately have noticed people with black crosses on their foreheads. So they thought it might be important to discuss Lent. What is it, exactly, and should the church observe it?
They begin by discussing an event in church history related to Lent known as “The Affair of the Sausages” that Zwingli got started with some hot preaching. From there, they journey into how the season of Lent developed, what is often cited as the Biblical basis for it, and the typical practices – such as giving up meat on Fridays – surrounding it. They then delve into it in a Biblical and confessional matter, pointing out some of the dangers of letting our “fasting be seen by others” (Matt. 6:16) and helpful distinctions that need to be made.
So join the guys and have a listen to this episode of 3GT!
On the subject of the length of Lent — Sundays are not included in the forty days. That means that whatever you have given up you can do on Sunday. My father always said he gave up going to church for Lent; he clearly didn’t understand the concept. By my count that means Holy Thursday, Good Friday, and Holy Saturday are included in the forty days. I am also wondering if you could (or have) talked about spiritual disciplines. I have heard Protestants talk admiringly of various spiritual disciplines but in a way that seems to border on the gnostic — as if we need to denigrate the body in some way to do good for the soul. Yet there is an aspect of suffering in fasting which is a biblical practice so I am wondering how we know where to draw the lines. Thanks
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