Presbyterians celebrating Lent?

[ww]

I don't observe Lent and it is not really because of anything particularly wrong with it. Every year I find myself evaluating its merits and since Ash Wednesday is the kick off and my PCA church doesn't impose Ashes or observe it I don't feel compelled to either. At one time I would place an emphasis on Maundy Thursday, Good Friday etc but once again at that time I belonged to a PCA church which had special services for those days and now I don't. So for me it is truly dependent on whether the Church to which I belong celebrates it according to the WCF or not and if not I don't.

 

[Happy2BHome]

Westminster PCA in Dayton, TN observes lent.

 

[Augusta]

Does this mean we are to worship in private exactly like we worship in public? Nothing is to be left out of (or added to) our private worship that isn't in corporate worship?

Nothing is to be added certainly. Obviously we cannot do the things like the sacraments that are to be administered by the officers of the church.

Not to be contentious, but which is it? "he doesn't require one type of worship in church and another in private" or "we cannot do all the things in private we do in public (i.e., sacraments)"? These are incompatible statements.

We can do all the things in private as in corporate excepting those things that must be administered by church officers ie. baptism and the Lord's Supper. We can read scripture, pray, and sing psalms.

 

[LeeJUk]

The Church of Scotland(Presbyterian / WCF / Calvinistic) one of the reformed churches founded basically by John Knox does lent. My church is doing it right now.

It may be a bit romish but it's not held in such high regard or importance and I ain't personally giving anything up.

 

[Whitefield]

Nothing is to be added certainly. Obviously we cannot do the things like the sacraments that are to be administered by the officers of the church.

Not to be contentious, but which is it? "he doesn't require one type of worship in church and another in private" or "we cannot do all the things in private we do in public (i.e., sacraments)"? These are incompatible statements.

We can do all the things in private as in corporate excepting those things that must be administered by church officers ie. baptism and the Lord's Supper. We can read scripture, pray, and sing psalms.

Actually, I agree they are compatible, but they are not equivalent.

-----Added 3/11/2009 at 03:50:06 EST-----

Can fasting be added to the private worship, even if it is not added to the public worship?

 

[Augusta]

My understanding of fasting, which is not really compatible with lent, is that it is to be kept private and done without show. Just like our praying in secret so that we are not doing it for men but to God. During lent people are making a show of it In my humble opinion since they are all telling each other they are doing it and what they gave up etc.

Matthew 6:16
16 Moreover when ye fast, be not, as the hypocrites, of a sad countenance: for they disfigure their faces, that they may appear unto men to fast. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.
17 But thou, when thou fastest, anoint thine head, and wash thy face;
18 That thou appear not unto men to fast, but unto thy Father which is in secret: and thy Father, which seeth in secret, shall reward thee openly.

 

[Whitefield]

My understanding of fasting, which is not really compatible with lent.

This has not been proven, only asserted by some. But I've wandered so I will cease posting.

 

[Prufrock]

I think what I was getting at is that observing Lent is sometimes part of building an individualized, eclectic faith instead of submitting to one's own tradition. I see nothing wrong with institutionalized fasting -- as you say, it's confessional -- nor with the forty days length itself. I am just cautious about the motivations of people who take it upon themselves to observe a forty-day fast at the same particular time that other traditions are doing so, especially when it's not accompanied by the usual motivations behind public and private fasts.

Good stuff in here.

Private fasting is surely good and commanded; and our confessions certainly allow for our churches to call for days of public solemn fasting. I understand, however, the intention behind these days of public fasting to have reference to specific occasions for specific reasons, and not as general "let's fast for a general lesson of mortification and sacrifice."

If people want to fast during this time, Great! I wish more people did! Not because of the time, but simply because that would indicate that we as a whole are making use more of this valuable Christian discipline (fasting, that is; not Lent) no matter what time of year it is.

I don't really want to start arguing about Lent, but I can't help but note a trend in our culture which separates praxis from contextual meaning; no matter how hard we try, we can't change the fact that Lent is not a spontaneous, personal choice, but is, in fact, an Ecclesiastical tradition in which we will either partake or not.

 

[Ex Nihilo]

My understanding of fasting, which is not really compatible with lent.

This has not been proven, only asserted by some. But I've wandered so I will cease posting.

I thought Augusta backed up this assertion with the instructions from Matthew about how fasting is to be practiced.

 

[Whitefield]

My understanding of fasting, which is not really compatible with lent.

This has not been proven, only asserted by some. But I've wandered so I will cease posting.

I thought Augusta backed up this assertion with the instructions from Matthew about how fasting is to be practiced.

I think the quote from Matthew addresses the abusus, not the usus. I guess my tagline should become abusus non tollit usum.

 

[Ex Nihilo]

I think the quote from Matthew addresses the abusus, not the usus. I guess my tagline should become abusus non tollit usum.

I do see your point! However, I think the traditions associated with Lent and others' abuse during this time make it tempting to fast incorrectly.

 

[tcalbrecht]

This, of course, could also apply to evening services on Sunday, any mid-week services, or bible studies/small groups.

The Reformed confessions have generally distinguished Lord's Day/Sabbath worship from all other activities. So I would not, for example, lump Sunday evening service in with a mid-week Bible study. The elders have the authority in response to keeping the Sabbath holy to call a Sunday evening service and expect the entire congregation to attend.

Other activities are purely voluntary albeit beneficial for the building up of the flock.

 

[Rev. Todd Ruddell]

As members of the Puritan board, let's remember that the name "Puritan" was cast as an insult against folks who were ridiculed for seeking to purify the Church, and especially her worship, from such man-made ceremonies as "Lent". I understand that there are others on the board than Reformed Presbyterians, and I respect your views on practicing "Lent", but I cannot agree with them, nor can I agree that they are compatible with Puritanism.

When one celebrates "Lent" or some kind of Lenten fast, one observes a man-made ceremony. Man made ceremonies are not pleasing to God--He is pleased with the worship He Himself has instituted. Our Catechisms and Confession (Westminster) make clear that God is to be worshiped only as He has appointed in His Word. This is the Puritan view, and the confessional view.

The difference between fasting and observing a Lenten Fast is that God has instituted fasting, both public and private, as a way of afflicting the soul--that is, as a means of denying oneself during times of Spiritual trial or affliction. Public fasts are called by the officers of the Church, and are observed publicly, like public prayer and public charity. Private fasts are observed privately, as private prayer and charity. Lent is a yearly tradition which is associated especially with a Church which teaches a false gospel that cannot save. It is a man-made tradition enjoined in most cases by a raw action of unregulated church authority.

Pastorally, I would strongly caution any who would take up this man-made ceremony. What is the reason for observing this man-made act of so-called humiliation and piety? Have we, as protestants, forgotten that true humility and piety is reverencing God as God rather than foisting our man-made traditions upon Him? Remember the words of Isaiah: "Who hath required this at your hands?" (Isaiah 1.12) And, this was spoken of appointed feasts which were undertaken insincerely. If the Lord so rejected His own appointments if insincerely taken up, what can we say of things He has not appointed?

We may disagree as to what the elements of worship are exactly, but to take up what God has obviously not appointed, but what has been pressed upon the church by one who arrogates to himself this Divine authority to "change times and laws", sets a dangerous precedent. What will our children do if we have let the camel's nose of supposedly innocuous man-made ceremony in the Church? I submit that they will invite him through the door. My view is that there is no "innocuous man-made worship ceremony".

 

[Glenn Ferrell]

The Church of Scotland(Presbyterian / WCF / Calvinistic) one of the reformed churches founded basically by John Knox does lent. My church is doing it right now.

It may be a bit romish but it's not held in such high regard or importance and I ain't personally giving anything up.

In the last couple generations, the Church of Scotland has become more Anglican in its worship practice, like the mainline Presbyterian and Reformed bodies in the US.

In Scotland, one must go to the Free Church of Scotland (majority or continuing), Free Presbyterian Church of Scotland, or one of the other small conservative continuing denominations to experience worship as it was done after adoption of the Westminster Standards and the Westminster Directory for the Public Worship of God, which said in an appendix:

AN APPENDIX,

Touching Days and Places for Publick Worship.

THERE is no day commanded in scripture to be kept holy under the gospel but the Lord's day, which is the Christian Sabbath.

Festival days, vulgarly called Holy-days, having no warrant in the word of God, are not to be continued.

Nevertheless, it is lawful and necessary, upon special emergent occasions, to separate a day or days for publick fasting or thanksgiving, as the several eminent and extraordinary dispensations of God's providence shall administer cause and opportunity to his people.​