Is asceticism defendable under a Christian world view?
score:5
Jesus says in Luke 9:23,
If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.
This is likely where asceticism originates from. However, verses such as 1 Timothy 6:17 say that "[God] richly provides us with everything to enjoy." Asceticism tends to forego enjoyment for self-inflicted suffering.
Perhaps one of the strongest Biblical passages against asceticism would be 1 Timothy 4:1-5.
Now the Spirit expressly says that in later times some will depart from the faith by devoting themselves to deceitful spirits and teachings of demons, through the insincerity of liars whose consciences are seared, who forbid marriage and require abstinence from foods that God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth. For everything created by God is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving, for it is made holy by the word of God and prayer.
Since your question focuses on the demoninational views and not my own, I've compiled a list of denominational opinions for you.
GotQuestions (non-denominational) suggests that self-denial to a degree is an extreme response to an otherwise accurate interpretation of the command, citing the above verses that reflect that God wants us to be blessed and enjoy our lives.
The people of the United Methodist Church seem to encourage frequent fasting, but nowhere near the degree of self-mutilation of sleeping in freezing temperatures.
The Lutheran Church seems to take a similar view according to The Lutheran Church--Missouri Synod. The article cites how Luther "opposed artificial asceticism by showing that works cannot justify." Judging by Luther's early life and how he lived in extreme asceticism before rejecting such works and kickstarting the Protestant Reformation, it is reasonable to assume that "artificial asceticism" extends to doing things like sleeping outside during a blizzard (which Luther himself did multiple times almost to the point of death).
Pentecostals originally were heavily ascetic, but it seems that somewhat of a shift is being made away from such doctrine as a result of the Full Gospel Movement (specifically Prosperity Gospel, which holds that all financial and material gain is in accordance with God's will).
All in all, it seems that the proper way of life according to the Protestant interpretation of the Bible is to fast and abstain as necessary to grow closer to God, but don't hurt yourself.
God bless. :)
Sources (I can only post one link because StackExchange doesn't trust me yet.):
Luke 9:23 ESV
1 Timothy 6:17 ESV
1 Timothy 4:1-5 ESV
Got Questions on Asceticism
United Methodist Church (Pastors debate value of Lenten sacrifices)
Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod
Pentecostal Asceticism and Prosperity Gospel: Civil Society and the Search for Development Alternatives in Cameroon (Page 80, found on Google Books), and ‘Winning Ways’: Globalisation and the Impact of the Health and Wealth Gospel by Stephen Hunt
I am Protestant.
More post
- 📝 Who was Theophylact?
- 📝 The seven churches that were condemned; did any of them repent?
- 📝 Do JWs have vestments, clothing, or "sacred" or symbolic objects that are used for any particular occasion or position?
- 📝 What is Holy Water in Catholicism?
- 📝 What are the main views on who created God?
- 📝 Which of these interpretations of Malachi 3:1 can be eliminated?
- 📝 How does calling someone an "idiot" make one bound for Gehenna?
- 📝 Did pastors or clergymen get killed by snakebite?
- 📝 What does Paul mean when he says that we are no longer under the law but under grace?
- 📝 Does the Roman Catholic Church have a daily Bible reading?
- 📝 LDS belief in pre-existence of the human person vs. human physical deformities
- 📝 What types of signs are given by the "lights in the expanse of the heavens"?
- 📝 Besides Paul, were there any other enemies of the early church who converted to Christianity?
- 📝 Does the Orthodox Church accept the Athanasian Creed?
- 📝 Source for this alleged quote from Martin Luther?
- 📝 Was the Trinity severed during the crucifixion?
- 📝 How do Catholics interpret Isaiah 2:4?
- 📝 Do any prominent theologians point to Old Testament prophecies of there being two comings of the Messiah?
- 📝 What are the main reasons of EOC for why the Protoevangelium of James was not to be included in the canon?
- 📝 Why is globalization the mark of the beast?
- 📝 Why there isn't a daily prayer structure like Liturgy of the Hours among Protestants?
- 📝 What is the Biblical basis for Total Depravity?
- 📝 Is the prayer "Mother of Perpetual Help" blasphemous?
- 📝 Are white lies sometime justified?
- 📝 Will people in hell be able to remember people in heaven?
- 📝 What is the ecclesiastical 'hierarchy' of the Eastern Orthodox Church?
- 📝 What does "he finds his truth" mean in Pope Benedict's Caritas in Veritate?
- 📝 In what way is Jesus like Moses?
- 📝 What was the debate at the Reformation concerning "non extra carnem" vs. "extra calvinisticum"?
- 📝 Does 2 Corinthians 10:3-5 assume Christian pacifism?
Source: stackoverflow.com
Search Posts
Related post
- 📝 Is asceticism defendable under a Christian world view?
- 📝 A Christian view of Mohammad
- 📝 What is the Bible and Christian view on Astrology?
- 📝 How did Luther and Calvin view Christian perfectionism?
- 📝 Christian view of why there are so many similarities between Quran and Bible?
- 📝 What is the historical Christian view on the rebuilding of David's Tabernacle?
- 📝 Christian denominations that view Jesus as a human moral teacher?
- 📝 When Jehovah's Witnesses resume door-to-door work 1 September 2022, will their message be any different in view of world events?
- 📝 Is there any biblical doctrine on how to avoid paranoia as a Christian under an Protestant framework?
- 📝 How do Christian theologians view and/or use Jewish commentators?
- 📝 What is the Roman Catholic view of Christian perfection or entire sanctification?
- 📝 Did Origen support the idealist view of Christian eschatology?
- 📝 How do various Christian traditions view the expression "crossing over Jordan"?
- 📝 The Mormon Church teaches that Jesus Christ created under the direction of Heavenly Father and He did not create the world "out of nothing."
- 📝 How does the mainstream Christian view of the physical body differ from that presented in The Gospel of Thomas?
- 📝 What prominent Christian thinkers (if any) held to polygenism and if so how did these thinkers view original sin?
- 📝 Is there a Christian philosopher who has published a book challenging compatibilism from the point of view of hard determinism?
- 📝 What is the general Christian view on fantasy works such as Tolkien's Silmarillion?
- 📝 What is the Protestant view with what happens to a Christian who resists the Devil but he doesn’t flee?
- 📝 Christian view on chimeras
- 📝 What is the Christian view on Breatharianism?
- 📝 Atheism is the default position. Isn't the burden of proof on the Christian to assert that God exists?
- 📝 How is the Christian Jesus different from the Muslim Jesus?
- 📝 If the Ten Commandments say “thou shalt not kill” how can a Christian fight in a war?
- 📝 What is the Roman Catholic view on Matthew 23:9?
- 📝 Can a Christian choose to walk away from his or her salvation?
- 📝 Does being a Christian mean being a Bible literalist?
- 📝 How do theistic evolutionists view the Fall of Man?
- 📝 Who is a Christian according to the Russian Orthodox Church
- 📝 Is there evidence that Isaiah 53 was viewed as a Messianic prophecy within Judaism, or is it an exclusively Christian interpretation?