Christian History Almanac · 1517 Podcasts

The CHA Weekend Edition Presents: The Fast (and Not Furious)

·35 min·3 clips

The word 'fast' originally meant something fixed and solid, not quick—revealing its true purpose in spiritual battle.

This episode explores the history and theology of Lenten fasting traditions within the Christian church. Host Dr. Dan Van Voorhis, a historian with the 1517 organization, frames the discussion around the gospel-centric mission of his work. He connects the seasonal practice to the broader church calendar and the approach to Easter. The episode establishes that the date of Easter is calculated from the first Sunday after the first full moon following the ecclesiastical vernal equinox on March 21st. Lent is presented as a 40-day preparatory period leading to Easter, with its name derived from the lengthening of daylight in spring. The practice of beginning Lent on Ash Wednesday, involving the imposition of ashes, is traced to Old Testament symbols of repentance and humility. A key scriptural foundation examined is the single prescribed fast in the Old Testament for Yom Kippur, as described in Leviticus 16:29, where translations use phrases like "deny yourselves" or "afflict your souls" rather than explicitly commanding food abstinence. The New Testament basis for a 40-day fast is linked to Jesus's 40 days in the wilderness, which the early church saw as a model for imitation and preparation. The host explains that early Christian fasting days, called "station days," were conceived as a form of spiritual watchfulness. He notes that the *Didache*, an early church manual, established Wednesday and Friday as weekly fast days, deliberately differing from Jewish fast days to avoid public display. A historical pattern is identified where voluntary practices, like fasting, become codified with extensive rules over time, as seen in both intertestamental and medieval periods. A surprising linguistic insight reveals that the original meaning of "fast" relates to being firm or solid, as in "hold fast," and is connected to the German word "feste" for fortress. The host points out that the association of "fast" with speed is a much later development, unrelated to the spiritual discipline. Jesus's instructions on fasting in the New Testament are presented as assuming the practice while criticizing performative displays, leaving it as an optional but unregulated tool. The episode suggests the monastic movement arose partly from a desire to recreate the intensity of early Christian commitment through self-denial after Christianity became mainstream. The tone is conversational and educational, blending historical scholarship with accessible explanations and occasional lighthearted asides. Listeners interested in liturgical traditions, church history, or the theological reasoning behind Christian practices will find this episode engaging. Those seeking a strictly biblical exposition or who are uncomfortable with historical-critical discussion of church traditions might choose to skip it.

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A clear walk through fasting, Yom Kippur, and the quirks of biblical language.

This weekend edition turns fasting in the Old Testament into a tidy walk through language, ritual, and translation. Dan moves from the many fasting references in the Hebrew Bible to the one prescribed fast tied to Yom Kippur, then lingers on the odd detail that Leviticus…

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Want a nerdy walk from Leviticus 16:29 to Yom Kippur, fasting, and Bible translation side by side?

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