Foreword

of
Nicholas Sagovsky
Canon Theologian, Westminster Abbey
to the book of
Dag Tessore Fasting !New City, "#, $%%&'
A Note from the (ditor
The practice of fasting has been present in the earliest religious traditions and in
Christian Church from its beginning, from the time of Jesus himself, in fact. Fasting,
however, has also evolved and changed over the centuries, affected as it was by local
custom and culture and by different interpretations in various Christian traditions. The
vast majority of the content of this book is based on Scriptural and atristic material,
with some references to !oman Catholic and "rthodo# teaching and practice. To offer
a more complete view of the subject, the author was happy for an $nglican to add an
$nglican perspective. Thus we start with the following foreword by the distinguished
$nglican theologian and member of the $nglican%!oman Catholic &nternational
Commission '$!C&C &&(, )icholas Sagovsky.
Foreword
&n the Summer of *++,, the $rchbishop of -ork, John Sentamu, pitched his tent in a
side%chapel at -ork .inster and spent a week fasting and praying for peace in the
.iddle /ast. 0e was doing e#actly what this little book commends. $s an $nglican,
brought up in 1ganda, he was reminding his fellow%$nglicans of a practice we have
largely forgotten but which is integral to the discipleship of many Christians in the
developing world, where they know so much more about what it is to be hungry.
2ag Tessore has written an ecumenical te#t. 0e draws on ancient Christian sources
which are important for Christians of /ast and 3est. $s a lifelong $nglican, &
recognise much of what he says because it is reflected so strongly in my own
tradition. The key $nglican sources all commend the practice of fasting, both
individual and corporate. The Book of Common Prayer '4,,*( lists as 56igils, Fasts,
and 2ays of $bstinence7 the eve of si#teen major feasts, and as 52ays of Fasting or
$bstinence7 the forty days of 8ent9 the /mber 2ays 'three days of prayer in each
season, when we pray for those to be ordained(9 the three !ogation 2ays 'days of
prayer for a fruitful harvest(9 and all the Fridays of the year, e#cept Christmas 2ay. &n
the proposed Book of Common Prayer '4:*;( a new rubric was inserted before the
"rder of the 0oly Communion< 5&t is an ancient and laudable custom of the Church to
receive this 0oly Sacrament fasting. -et for the avoidance of all scruple, it is hereby
declared that such preparation may be used or not used, according to every man7s
conscience in the sight of =od.7 $nglicans have always been reluctant to lay down
the law about how we should fast.
=uidance about fasting was given to Christians in the Church of /ngland by the two%
part homily 5"f =ood 3orks9 and First of Fasting7 in the second >ook of 0omilies
'4?@4( of which John Jewel '4?**%@4( was the author.
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Fasting is commended as a
5good work7 but in no way one that
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merits salvation. Study of Scriptural e#amples,
of which there are many, shows that fasting is 5of two sorts9 the one outward,
pertaining to the body9 the other inward, in the heart and mind7. So, 5that we ought to
fast is a truth more manifest than that it should have need to be proved9 the Scriptures
which teach the same are evident7. Three aims are given for fasting< 5to chastise the
flesh, that it may not be too wanton, but tamed and brought in subjection to the spirit79
5that the spirit may be more fervent and earnest in prayer79 5that our fast may be a
testimony and witness with us before =od of our humble submission to his high
.ajesty, when we confess and acknowledge our sins unto him7.
$mongst classic $nglican writers, !ichard 0ooker 'A4??B%4,++( defends the
Church7s observance of set fasts by reference to Scripture and the Church Fathers,
showing both how there can be too much insistence on fasting 'Tertullian( and too
little '$rius(.
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This is not, he insists, a matter on which churches should be divided.
$fter listing a string of good reasons for fasting, his final one is, 5that every man may
be every man7s daily guide and e#ample as well by fasting to declare humility as by
praise to e#press joy in the sight of =od7.
0ooker7s concern that rules and regulations about fasting should not become a source
of division is echoed in the poem 58ent7 by =eorge 0erbert '4?:C%4,CC(<
)either ought other men7s abuse of 8ent
Spoil the good use9 lest by that argument
3e forfeit all our Creed.
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&n the same poem 0erbert is, however, clear about the 8enten obligation to fast< 5The
Scriptures bids us fast9 the Church says Now.7 &n A Priest to the Temple he gives a
picture of the fasting observed by his idealised seventeenth century country parson<
The arson in his house observes fasting days< and particularly, as Sunday is
his day of joy, so Friday his day of 0umiliation, which he celebrates not only
with abstinence of diet, but also of company, recreation, and all outward
contentments D . Now fasting Days contain a triple obligation9 First, of
eating less that day, than on other days9 Secondly, of eating no pleasing, or
over%nourishing things, as the &sraelites did eat sour herbs9 Thirdly, of eating
no flesh.
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$s far as the last is concerned, however< 5.eat was made for man, not man for meat7<
there may well be situations where it would be right to eat meat whilst observing the
fast.
4
Certain Sermons or Homilies Appointed to be ead in Ch!rches in the time of "!een #li$abeth of
Famo!s %emory '8ondon< SCE, 4:C;(, pp. *:4%C4+.
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/cclesiastical olity 6.l##ii 'The &orks of %r ichard Hooker' "#ford< Clarendon, 4;,?, vol. &&, pp.
4*;%B?(.
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The &orks of (eorge Herbert in Prose and )erse '8ondon< >ell and 2aldy, 4;?:(, vol. &&, p. :4.
?
*bid., vol. &, p. 4;?.
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3ith so many set days of fasting in the $nglican year, this was a popular theme
amongst preachers. $t the end of the seventeenth century, 3illiam >everidge '4,C@%
4@+;( recommended 5keeping the body under by fasting, and so bringing it into
subjection to the soul7.
,
5Fasting7, he said, 5doth conduce much to our being holy but
it cannot make us so.7 0e chose e#amples from Scripture, like those of .oses, /lijah
and Jesus, to show that 5the greatest discoveries that =od hath made of 0imself to
man, and the most powerful effects of the Spirit upon them, have usually been when
they were fasting, and so in a right disposition for them.7
&n many parts of the $nglican Communion similar F or even more emphatic F
sermons can be heard today, but rarely, & guess, in /ngland. The new Church of
/ngland rayer >ook, Common &orship' no longer speaks of 2ays of Fasting but
52ays of 2iscipline and Self 2enial7.
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Fasting has largely become a matter of
personal choice. Sermons about fasting, or locally observed fasts, often make the
connection between the largely token fasting of Christians in the developed world and
the shocking reality of world hunger. &n /ngland, Christians will sometimes accept
the challenge of living at the income levels of the poorest in society. The focus of
fasting is often 'and rightly( on solidarity with the poor.
The $rchbishop of -ork7s fast reminded us of truths deep within the traditions of the
Church< fasting as a means of repentance9 fasting as a means of deepening prayer9
fasting because we 5hunger and thirst7 to see right prevail. This little book provides a
timely reminder of these truths. Some of what it claims about the benefits of fasting
is open to Guestion 'and, with the prevalence in 3estern cultures of eating disorders it
is especially important to fast wisely(, but who can doubt the wisdom of committed,
regular fasting in a consumerist society obsessed with food and self%gratificationA
This little book presents that challenge to each one of us. $ 8enten prayer, written by
/ric .ilner%3hite '4;;B%4:,C(, 2ean of -ork, has helped me to respond<
8ord, let me fast most truly and profitably,
by feeding in prayer on thy Spirit<
reveal to me myself
in the light of thy holiness.
;
.ay this little book be a timely challenge to all its readers, 5revealing to us ourselves7,
and drawing us closer to one another as, through times of fasting, we draw closer to
Christ.
)icholas Sagovsky
Canon Theologian, 3estminster $bbey
,
5The 1sefulness of Fasting7, Guoted in ./. .ore and F.8. Cross, Anglicanism '8ondon< SCE,
4:,*(, pp. ?;C%:;.
@
Common &orship '8ondon< Church 0ouse ublishing, *+++(, p. ?C4.
;
/. .ilner%3hite, %y (od %y (lory '8ondon< SCE, 4:?:(, p. *4.
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Abstract and Index of the book:
http://dagtessore-english.blogspot.com/p/christian-fasting-citta-nuova-
rome.html
Where to buy this book:
http://www.cenacle.co.uk/products.asppartno!"#$%&'.("gi)*sc+I(
+he other books of ,ag +essore:
http://dagtessore-english.blogspot.com/

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