Fasting Legalisms
Yes, the Eastern Orthodox Church is legalistic in regard to fasting. No doubt about it. Prescribing, regulating, ruling, requiring a certain time and way to fast. That is legalistic and somebody who does not get this does not understand the Gospel nor the New Testament. There is absolutely NO justification [pun intended?] for such teachings, no Biblical warrant.
This is the Biblical position, as testified to in Holy Scripture and as witnessed to in the confessions of the Evangelical Church [Lutheranism]:
"These have indeed an appearance
of wisdom in promoting rigor of devotion and self-abasement and
severity to the body, but they are of no value in checking the
indulgence of the flesh." (Colossians 2:23)
"That prescription of certain foods at certain times contributes nothing toward restraining the flesh" (Ap XV.48)
"So fasting in itself is not rejected. Instead, we reject making it
a required service with prescribed days and foods, for this confuses
the consciences." (AC XXVII.39)
And there you have it.
Here, on the other hand, and in stark contrast and even denial of Holy Scripture is an example of Orthodoxy’s anti-Gospel legalism.
Here is but one of any number of examples one can find on the Internet from EO web sites:
Fasting Guidelines as Prescribed by the Orthodox Church
Wednesday & Friday
Every Wednesday and Friday is to be observed with fasting unless Special Fast Days
some important feast takes precedence over the fast (See exceptions
below). The fast on Wednesday is in memory of the betrayal of the Lord,
and the fast on Friday is in remembrance of His Passion and Death upon
the Cross.
| Aug 29 | Beheading of St. John the Baptist |
| Sep 14 | Elevation of the Precious & Life-Giving Cross |
| Jan 5 | Eve of the Epiphany |
(These are strict fast days in which holy tradition teaches us that
we should fast on these days from meat, meat products, fish, dairy
products, olive oil, and wine).
Lent, The Great Fast
Lent begins the forty days before Palm Sunday, on the Monday
after Cheese-Fare Sunday. and lasts until the evening preceding Palm
Sunday.
Holy Week
A special fast in honor of our Lord’s Passion and lasts from the evening of PaIm Sunday through Holy Saturday.
The Fast of the Holy Apostles
The Fast of the Holy
Apostles begins on the Monday after All Saints’ Sunday (the Sunday
following Pentecost) and lasts until June 29, the Feast of the Holy
Apostles Peter and Paul. The fast varies in length according to the
date of Pascha.
The Fast of the Theotokos
The fast which precedes the Feast of the Falling asleep of the All Holy Theotokos begins on August 1 and lasts until August 14.
The Christmas Fast
The fast before Christmas begins on November 15 and lasts until December 24. (fish is permitted until December 12)
Periods When There is No Fasting
All Saturdays, except Holy Saturday (from oil products)
December 25 – January 4
The week following the Sunday of the Pharisee and the Publican
The week following Pascha
The week following Pentecost
(1) It should be noted that in common Orthodox usage the
words ‘fasting’ and ‘abstinence’ are used interchangeably. Prior to the
Second Vatican Council, the Roman Catholic Church made a clear
distinction between the two terms: abstinence concerned the types of
food eaten, irrespective of quantity, whereas fasting signified a
limitation to the number of meals or amount of food that could be
taken. In the Orthodox Church a clear-cut distinction has not been made
between these two words. The Church Fathers simply state as a guiding
principle that we should never eat to satiety but always rise from the
table feeling that we could have taken more and that we are now ready
for prayer. T. Ware, The Lenten Triodion
Pass the Russell Stovers. Please.
Am I wrong to say that legalism refers to the belief that one is justified by the keeping of the law? In that case, it would not be true that prescribed fasts are legalistic – unless of course one believes they are justifying acts.
McCain: “Legalism” involves any activity in the church that would lay a burden on people that God has not laid on them by His Word. There can be no “prescribed fasts” for anyone who wishes to be, and remain, faithful to God’s Word and the Gospel of Jesus. To make law where God has made no law is legalism and legalistic.
What I find hard to understand is why we Lutherans are quick to attack this sort of legalism in the evangelicals/Baptists/etc. (e.g. all alcohol is sinful, women wearing pants is a sin, everyone must give exactly 10% of their income to the church or face divine wrath, and on and on) but we excuse it in the Orthodox just because they have a pretty liturgy and wear glittery vestments. Why the double standard?
McCain: Good question! Very, very…very good question.