Do Protestants Observe Lent?

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ctb95 said:
I’m a convert from the Mennonite faith and, interestingly enough, my former church is having an Ash Wednesday service tonight; although, I think that’s the exception, rather than the rule.
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I’ve been home with a tummy thing so I won’t be getting my ashes this year, I don’t think. 😦
 
Ash Wednesday is one of two days that Episcopalians are obligated to attend services. Have a blessed Lent everyone. 🙂
 
Faith1960 said:
I’m reading and using Rediscover Lent by Matthew Kelly.
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Former Presbyterian Moderator (PCUSA) Bruce Reyes-Chow has a new book titled: ‘40 Days, 40 Prayers, 40 Words: Lenten Reflections for Everyday Life.’ which I am using this year.
 
Little_Sheep said:
Ash Wednesday is one of two days that Episcopalians are obligated to attend services. Have a blessed Lent everyone. 🙂
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Are you sure? My understanding was that only the Principal Feasts were obligation days in the TEC. Easter Day, Ascension Day, Pentecost, Trinity Sunday, All Saints’ Day, Christmas Day, and the Epiphany.
 
Padres1969 said:
Depends on the Protestants. Anglicans definitely do, Lutherans do, some Methodists do, some Presbyterians do in some form or another. Basically the further you get from Catholicism, the less likely they’ll celebrate Lent in the way Catholics do. Baptists, Mennonites and other Anabaptists being the main exceptions who don’t celebrate Lent or really anything associated with the season in any form.

I can speak from personal experience that Anglicans definitely do celebrate Lent. Got my ashes at 7:30 this morning before work. And while the fasting and abstinence rules are a bit different than the RCC, they can be comparable if one so chooses. They were definitely comparable in the old 1928 Book of Common Prayer and the 1979 BCP allows for that to continue if the congregant so chooses.
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When I was Anglican like 8 years ago they just said give something up…whatever you want basically.

What are they fasting from now?
 
Lenten_ashes said:
When I was Anglican like 8 years ago they just said give something up…whatever you want basically.

What are they fasting from now?
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We are called to observe Lent by engaging in self-examination and repentance, by prayer, fasting and self denial, and by reading and meditating on God’s word.

What specifically the parishioner chooses to make part of their fasting and abstinence is of course up to them but if you were to follow the 1928 BCP, which many still do, it would mean fasting with regard to your meals during the 40 days of Lent, abstaining from meat on Friday, and both fasting and abstaining on the Ember days. While this is not strictly proscribed in the 1979 BCP, it is still something the individual can follow. And like Catholic fasting and abstaince during Lent, anything beyond those proscriptions is in the hands of the individual.

Personally I am attempting to follow the 1928 fast rules as best I can and will be abstaining from meat for the duration of Lent, including Fridays. Whether I succeed or not will be between me and the Lord as Jesus commanded in Matthew 6 😉
 
Padres1969 said:
Are you sure? My understanding was that only the Principal Feasts were obligation days in the TEC. Easter Day, Ascension Day, Pentecost, Trinity Sunday, All Saints’ Day, Christmas Day, and the Epiphany.
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Padres, I will research this more. As you know, we Anglicans can be motley (and I use that term with affection). I thought the recent email I received from our interim parish priest stated that there were just two days (Ash Wednesday and Easter), but perhaps I read it wrong!
Fondly,

LS

PS - That said, I always try to worship in fellowship on the day that you have named.
 
Faith1960 said:
I’m reading and using Rediscover Lent by Matthew Kelly.
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Thank you, Faith. This year, I have not picked a particular text to guide me. I am simply devoted to reading the Bible daily. I read the Bible a good bit, but not daily. I am focusing on discipline and personal holiness.
 
Yup some do.
My country is majority protestant and today, Ash wednesday is celebrated as a public holiday. Most christians do celebrate the day, the only group I am aware of that doesn’t would be the JWs. When I lived in the US I missed having the day off to reflect.
 
Lenten_ashes said:
When I was Anglican like 8 years ago they just said give something up…whatever you want basically.

What are they fasting from now?
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Anglicans are not known for their hard and fast rules. ‘Everyone must do this and not do that.’ In my experience, you are encouraged to dig deeply and find the tools most helpful in your own spiritual discipline. Talk to your priest and/or spiritual director and go for it.

Personally, I use Lent to refrain from one thing, and to take on one thing. And then I have my chosen book for the season. It is a nice balance for me.
 
I was reared Pentecostal, and had never even heard of anything called “Lent” until I was well into adulthood. It was represented to me as a sort of Pharasaical habit that some scattered apostate churches still observed, though decreasingly so.
 
Le_Cracquere said:
I was reared Pentecostal, and had never even heard of anything called “Lent” until I was well into adulthood. It was represented to me as a sort of Pharasaical habit that some scattered apostate churches still observed, though decreasingly so.
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Little did you know…

Seriously interest of though that they presented Lent as the exception rather than the general rule that it actually is in the majority of Christianity.
 
A United Church of Christ congregation near me served soup on Wednesday night which was followed by a service to mark the beginning of Lent.
 
We observe Lent in the manner of being thoughtfully penitential as to what our Lord has done for us.

Question (and I hope it doesn’t derail this thread)

When was the observance of Lent started?

God bless all,

Rita
 
spedteacherita said:
We observe Lent in the manner of being thoughtfully penitential as to what our Lord has done for us.

Question (and I hope it doesn’t derail this thread)

When was the observance of Lent started?

God bless all,

Rita
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My faith tradition recognized Lent is a reminder for many Christians but strongly emphasized that the attitude of Lent should be a daily practice all year. Reminders do not hurt!
 
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