A Defense For Prayer and Fasting: Why Christian Fasting Matters

     Some have decided that fasting as a Christian discipline for the purpose of prayer and dedication to God is nothing more than just some "papist" tradition that is not really Christian. John Calvin, in Book 4, Chapter 12 of his Institutes calls Lent, the 40 day fast, a "superstitious observance." Calvin further comments regarding Lent and multiple repeated days of fasting with the following: "It was therefore merely false zeal, replete with superstition, which set up a fast under the title and pretext of imitating Christ." It is quite disappointing to see a few Christians today critique fasting as much as I used to do. I notice that it usually tends to be among those who are of the low church variety of Protestant Christianity. However, there does seem to be some outside of the Anglican tradition that we find among the low church types who do affirm voluntary forms of the practice such as Assemblies of God. We also will find Lutherans will practice it among their season of Lent, but it will not be imposed. Either way, there are some who practice it, others who don't and then some who will say it is blasphemous and heretical to practice any form of Christian fasting alongside our prayer.

    I do not mind if some wish to avoid practicing food fasting, but I will push for a case on why the fasting from food can help as well as make a case for why fasting in some way is a required discipline. I will aim to utilize the Anglican rule of Scripture, Tradition and Reason as a way to argue for it sufficiently by each of the three points. I will also provide a bit of testimony here and there as to my usage of the rule of fasting as a result. Hopefully, the article does not come across as insulting or demeaning. I am simply trying to push forth the biblical and traditional view of fasting according to the Christian worldview. I think if we are to form any opinion, positive or negative, on the subject of fasting as we pray, then we should utilize the standards of the Christian before we engage in this particular matter. We should adhere to the standard consistently, lest our foundation of a belief falls apart.

BIBLICAL CASE

    Let us start this part by appealing to the Old Testament to trace the practice of fasting. The bible verses used will be coming from, like most of the articles, from the NRSVue. We can find it in the Old Testament, especially in the Psalms such as Psalm 69:10 which reads as "When I humbled my soul with fasting, they insulted me for doing so." David says that when he humbled his soul with fasting, he was insulted for it by his enemies. A holy man of God who fasted to humble his soul was mocked for it by those who were against the holiness of David. What should this tell us, besides a historical element to the life of David? He was being humble towards his soul so that it was dedicated to God. We will touch on this more with Jesus soon, but keep in mind that idea of being humble and meek. However, we see more bible verses in the Old Testament which testify to the practice of fasting.

    In Exodus 34:28, Moses fasted for forty days where he "neither ate bread nor drank water." In Joel 2:12, Israel was commanded by God with "return to me with all your heart, with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning." In Daniel 9:3-4, Daniel did the following after receiving revelation regarding the devastation of Jerusalem: "Then I turned to the Lord God to seek an answer by prayer and supplication with fasting and sackcloth and ashes. I prayed to the Lord my God and made confession..." Daniel made prayer as well as supplications while fasting for the Lord, giving a humble spirit to Daniel. In the future, when another king reigned, Daniel was found mourning for three weeks. Daniel 10:3 records that Daniel "had eaten no rich food, no meat or wine had entered my mouth, and I had not anointed myself at all, for the full three weeks." Which shows us that Daniel fasted for multiple days like Moses.

    The final Old Testament passage we will go over is lengthy, but very interesting to observe as Isaiah 58:3-9 reads the following: "Why do we fast, but you do not see? Why humble ourselves, but you do not notice?” Look, you serve your own interest on your fast day and oppress all your workers. You fast only to quarrel and to fight and to strike with a wicked fist. Such fasting as you do today will not make your voice heard on high. Is such the fast that I choose, a day to humble oneself? Is it to bow down the head like a bulrush and to lie in sackcloth and ashes? Will you call this a fast, a day acceptable to the Lord? Is not this the fast that I choose: to loose the bonds of injustice, to undo the straps of the yoke, to let the oppressed go free, and to break every yoke? Is it not to share your bread with the hungry and bring the homeless poor into your house; when you see the naked, to cover them and not to hide yourself from your own kin? Then your light shall break forth like the dawn, and your healing shall spring up quickly; your vindicator shall go before you; the glory of the Lord shall be your rear guard. Then you shall call, and the Lord will answer; you shall cry for help, and he will say, “Here I am."" We see that fasting is to be done without getting credit for it as we are to be humble since we see that the wrong fasting done is one which expects favoritism and popularity to come out of it as opposed to the correct reason to fast. This verse will play a big role in the New Testament model.

    Now with the New Testament, we start at the main instructions from Jesus during His Sermon on the Mount where Matthew 6:16-18 teaches the following: "And whenever you fast, do not look somber, like the hypocrites, for they mark their faces to show others that they are fasting. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward. But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, so that your fasting may be seen not by others but by your Father who is in secret, and your Father who sees in secret will reward you." I even utilize this method as a means to utilize my shower routine. When I fast on Wednesdays and Fridays, I will wash my face and beard as well as use the beard oil remnants to cross myself along with a short prayer to God or invoking the name of the Trinity. Notice what Jesus says though as he teaches "whenever you fast." He offers guidelines, but is expecting us to fast in the same way in the other verses of this chapter when he says "whenever you give alms" and "when you are praying." Clearly we are required to pray to God and this verse proves that, but we see the same applies to giving of alms and fasting. So it is clear that Jesus expects us to fast, but to also not look miserable or noticeable when fasting. Similar to how the lesson is learned about this in Isaiah 58:3-9. The same spirit of fasting that is found in Psalm 69:10.

    Jesus also fasted for forty days, similar to Moses, and temptations arose as He resisted them. This forty day fasting is the model for Lent where Christians imitate Jesus (Ephesians 5:1-2) and thus will fast for forty days during the season, so that we can grow closer to God in prayer. Elsewhere, we read about fasting in the early church during certain times of worship and praying (Acts 13:2-3, Acts 14:23). So we find that there is biblical evidence for fasting to be utilized in the discipline of the Christian as long as it is then followed with prayer and almsgiving. We are to pray to God and give either our time or money to charity and community. However, remember what Matthew 6:1 teaches before we receive instructions on how to pray, fast and give alms: "Beware of practicing your righteousness before others in order to be seen by them, for then you have no reward from your Father in heaven." If we do it for the sake of being seen as "holier than thou," we will no have any reward from our Father in Heaven. We should not brag or boast of it. It's not always a sin to tell people you are fasting, such as in the case if you need to let somebody know you are fasting so that way they do not bring any temptations to hinder your faith as Romans 14 would indicate.

HISTORICAL/TRADITIONAL CASE

    So now, we move on to the historical case rooted in the writings of the traditional Church and Church Fathers. Our first case starts with one of the earliest Christian documents on how Christian worship was practiced known as The Didache. In the very first chapter, we read the following: "Bless those who curse you, and pray for your enemies, and fast for those who persecute you." We see an instruction for the idea of blessing, praying and fasting for those who would be considered enemies or persecutors. This could be seen as part of the summary the Didache provides for the teachings found in the Sermon on the Mount. In Chapter 7, we read another instance of fasting before Baptism: "But before the baptism let the baptizer fast, and the baptized, and whatever others can; but you shall order the baptized to fast one or two days before." So in order to be baptized, they would fast for one or two days before. In the next chapter, we see a very interesting set of instructions on fasting and praying that are more detailed: "But let not your fasts be with the hypocrites; for they fast on the second [Monday] and fifth day [Thursday] of the week; but fast on the fourth day [Wednesday] and the Preparation [Friday]. Neither pray as the hypocrites; but as the Lord commanded in His Gospel, thus pray: Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come. Your will be done, as in heaven, so on earth. Give us today our daily (needful) bread, and forgive us our debt as we also forgive our debtors. And bring us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one (or, evil); for Yours is the power and the glory forever. Thrice in the day thus pray." So we see an attempt here to show a setting apart of fasting and praying uniquely. We start with fasting is only reserved for Wednesday and Fridays, but avoiding Monday and Thursday. This is interesting some religions like Islam (which wasn't even around yet) hold to permitting fasting on mostly Mondays and Thursdays.

    In the early apostolic fathers, we also examine some interesting points about fasting. Let us begin with Polycarp of Smyrna where he teaches to following in Chapter 7 of his surviving epistle: "Wherefore, forsaking the vanity of many, and their false doctrines, let us return to the word which has been handed down to us from the beginning; watching unto prayer, and persevering in fasting; beseeching in our supplications the all-seeing God not to lead us into temptation, as the Lord has said: The spirit truly is willing, but the flesh is weak." We see from Polycarp that there is the emphasis on returning to the historic faith that was handed to us as stated in Jude 3. To expound upon this, he then says that there was dedication to prayer and enduring in fasting, so that we could present our requests to God without any temptation. Another case of the positive aspects of praying and fasting is found in Mathetes' epistle to Diognetius, where he says that the "soul, when but ill-provided with food and drink, becomes better; in like manner, the Christians, though subjected day by day to punishment, increase the more in number."

    One early Christian named Aristides of Athens, provides an interesting approach towards prayer and fasting as a Christian as it relates to being loving towards our neighbor. In his Apology, he writes that "if there is among them any that is poor and needy, and if they have no spare food, they fast two or three days in order to supply to the needy their lack of food. They observe the precepts of their Messiah with much care, living justly and soberly as the Lord their God commanded them. Every morning and every hour they give thanks and praise to God for His loving-kindnesses toward them; and for their food and their drink they offer thanksgiving to Him." So when it comes to the poor and needy, people would fast for two or three days so that they can supply to the needy and feed them. This would then be followed up with prayer every morning and hour for the blessings that the Christian gets as well as for the blessings to be rained down upon everybody they will encounter.

    We also read from Clement of Alexandria in Book 6 of his Stromata that "fastings signify abstinence from all evils whatsoever, both in action and in word, and in thought itself." So whenever we are fasting, we are abstaining from evil. Especially the temptation of evil. We can see this reflected in the story of Jesus fasting for 40 days when he was tempted, but did not give into temptation. I also find that this also allows us to deal with temptations of not just gluttony, but temptations in general are able to be conquered once we start practicing the Christian art of fasting while replacing the temptations for food and sin with a satisfying meal of prayer. Now prepare as we focus a good bit from Tertullian, the founder of Latin Christianity and a key figure that opened my eyes to prayer and fasting in the Anglican tradition.

    In Chapter 23 of Tertullian's work on Prayer, we read the instruction he provides regarding fastings: "At fasts... no prayer should be made without kneeling, and the remaining customary marks of humility; for (then) we are not only praying, but deprecating, and making satisfaction to God our Lord." Fasting utilizes this sense of humility and it should reflect that way in our prayer life where we kneel when we pray, since we aren't just praying, but we are putting ourselves below as humble while lifting up God to glory. Elsewhere, in his treatise on Fasting, we read plenty. However, keep in mind that most of the work is dealing with objections against a heretic he was following named Motanus. While he may have affirmed some of these errors, Tertullian is quite orthodox in his practice of fasting. In chapter 3 of his Fasting treatise, he explains that the practice of fasting dates back all the way to Adam and Eve. By pointing out the abstaining from the forbidden fruit while being able to eat the rest, they were given not just the first command of fasting, but this also shows that fasting doesn't just have to be totally no food at all. It can be a limit of food. Such as some who choose to abstain from chocolate during a fast. We also see him make this connection with several other Old Testament fasts that we already covered during the biblical fasting section. For anybody who is interested in reading more on Tertullian's case for fasting, read the entirety of his work, On Fasting.

    In The Apostolic Constitutions, we read another early church document with instructions that was for churches written during the late 4th century. In Book 5, we read several instructions on fasting with Chapter 13 telling us that "the fast of Lent is to be observed by you as containing a memorial of our Lord's mode of life and legislation. But let this solemnity be observed before the fast of the passover, beginning from the second day of the week, and ending at the day of the preparation. After which solemnities, breaking off your fast, begin the holy week of the passover, fasting in the same all of you with fear and trembling, praying in them for those that are about to perish." So here, we get a historical timepoint of when Lent was observed in the early church and when it is to begin as well as when it is to end.

    Chapter 15 gets into more detail regarding the holy week fasting of the Passover: "He therefore charged us Himself to fast these six days on account of the impiety and transgression of the Jews, commanding us withal to bewail over them, and lament for their perdition. For even He Himself "wept over them, because they knew not the time of their visitation." But He commanded us to fast on the fourth and sixth days of the week; the former on account of His being betrayed, and the latter on account of His passion. But He appointed us to break our fast on the seventh day at the cock-crowing, but to fast on the Sabbath day. Not that the Sabbath day is a day of fasting, being the rest from the creation, but because we ought to fast on this one Sabbath only, while on this day the Creator was under the earth. For on their very feast-day they apprehended the Lord, that oracle might be fulfilled which says: "They placed their signs in the middle of their feast, and knew them not." You ought therefore to bewail over them, because when the Lord came they did not believe in Him, but rejected His doctrine, judging themselves unworthy of salvation." So not only do we get more exposition on why we fast normally on Wednesday and Friday, but we also know that normally it isn't fitting to fast on Saturday. However, the exception is on the Saturday of the Holy Week.

    Next, we turn to Basil The Great, who tells us the following in the first of his Lenten Homilies: "Fasting is a weapon against the army of demons. “[For] this kind can come forth by nothing, but by prayer and fasting.” So many are the benefits of fasting, whereas satiety is the beginning of lasciviousness. For sybaritism, inebriation, and all man­ner of rich foods immediately give rise to every kind of brutish wantonness. Hence, men become lecherous stallions on account of the frenzy wrought in the soul by self-indulgence. Perversions of nature arise from drunkards when they seek the feminine in the masculine and the masculine in the feminine. Fasting teaches moderation in conjugal relations, and, by chastis­ing intemperance even in licit sexual activity, engenders abstinence by mu­tual agreement, so that married couples may devote themselves to prayer." So we see that prayer and fasting together fight against the influence of demons and it even teaches moderation. Elsewhere in the Homily, he says that "true fasting consists in estrange­ment from vices... Forgive your neigh­bor the distress he causes you; forgive him his debts. “Fast not for quar­rels and strifes.” You do not eat meat, but you devour your brother. You abstain from wine, but do not restrain yourself from insulting others. You wait until evening to eat, but waste your day in law courts. Woe to those who get drunk, but not from wine. Anger is inebriation of the soul, mak­ing it deranged, just as wine does. Grief is also a form of intoxication, one that submerges the intellect." True fasting is not out of diet, but it is to put away the temptations that are around us and to grow in holiness without pride or selfishness entering into our hearts.

    Finally, John Chrysostom was able to teach us about fasting in his third Homily on the Statues where he says that true fasting is "not merely an abstinence from meats; but from sins too. For the nature of a fast is such, that it does not suffice to deliver those who practise it, unless it be done according to a suitable law." Furthermore, we read that "the honour of fasting consists not in abstinence from food, but in withdrawing from sinful practices; since he who limits his fasting only to an abstinence from meats, is one who especially disparages it. Do you fast? Give me proof of it by your works! Is it said by what kind of works? If you see a poor man, take pity on him! If you see in enemy, be reconciled to him! If you see a friend gaining honour, envy him not! If you see a handsome woman, pass her by! For let not the mouth only fast, but also the eye, and the ear, and the feet, and the hands, and all the members of our bodies. Let the hands fast, by being pure from rapine and avarice. Let the feet fast, by ceasing from running to the unlawful spectacles. Let the eyes fast, being taught never to fix themselves rudely upon handsome countenances, or to busy themselves with strange beauties. For looking is the food of the eyes, but if this be such as is unlawful or forbidden, it mars the fast; and upsets the whole safety of the soul; but if it be lawful and safe, it adorns fasting. For it would be among things the most absurd to abstain from lawful food because of the fast, but with the eyes to touch even what is forbidden. Do you not eat flesh? Feed not upon lasciviousness by means of the eyes. Let the ear fast also. The fasting of the ear consists in refusing to receive evil speakings and calumnies."

    We have gone over a good case of several Christians in the early Church who held to such a good overview of fasting and there is plenty more of them out there that I would highly recommend that you all look up for more research into this subject. Let it be known, however, that it is not just biblical and historical. It is also fit within reason and experience. Hence why we will approach this from the final point of the Anglican approach to doctrines.

REASON/EXPERIENCE CASE

    This is going to point out some of the benefits for prayer and fasting based on experience and reason in light of the evidence so far from the Bible and tradition in the Christian Church. The way I will approach this is to offer ways in which my own experience of fasting shows benefits as well as to point out from reason how fasting and prayer combined is very beneficial. Mind you though that this is meant to be reasonable and logical for the case of the Christian in particular since this is based on presuppositions of the Christian worldview in light of what the Bible teaches us. Hence why all of the points in this section must be measured in the light of scripture. Let us begin our case, with all this in mind.

    The main key is that it fulfills the biblical support for imitating Jesus Christ. 1 John 2:6 says that "whoever says, “I abide in him,” ought to walk in the same way as he walked." Now, this doesn't mean of course that one can be free from ever sinning at all in their life or that you can turn water into wine. However, the idea follows from verse 3 which says "we have come to know him, if we obey his commandments." So we are to obey the teachings of Christ, which even go into the subject of fasting as found in Matthew 6. Plus, Paul teaches the following in 1 Corinthians 11:1 that says: "Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ." So if we are to get closer to imitating Christ, we are going to want to fast. It would demonstrate as the perfect submission to honor our Lord. We are to love, as Christ loved the world. We are to pray in the same manner that Christ did. Likewise, we are to aim for fasting in the same form that Jesus did.

    Fasting, when practiced faithfully with prayer and devotion as a Christian, will kill the cravings for sin. An Eastern Orthodox monk by the name of Paisius Velichkovsky once said the following: "Fasting once having entered into the soul, kills to the depths the sin which lies therein." As somebody who has managed to make fasting a routine, I can attest that learning to discipline your body and mind to fast from food, as well as abstaining from other things, will lead to your mind focusing so much on God that you eventually can conquer other things. Craving for foods are things we don't really think too much about unless we plan to diet for losing weight or health issues. Even then, it can be difficult to keep up with trying to maintain these battles against cravings for material purposes. However, with the Holy Spirit in us and the motivation being to pray and get closer to God, our fasts become meaningful. Once that can be maintained, I have noticed that I am more calm and not angry when I fast. I am finding that if it's easy to conquer one craving, then it is easy to conquer the other cravings toward sin.

    Whenever you begin to fast as a Christian with prayer and humility, you learn to become more appreciative of what you have, especially with food. As a Christian in most parts of the world that receives benefits, fasting teaches us to understand that we are in a world where consumerism is everywhere. We are encouraged to eat this and that when it comes to fast food, candy, and even home delivered meals so that we don't have to do the hard part of cooking. Not everybody can afford that lifestyle of constantly eating at a double cheeseburger or a chicken strip basket meal everyday. This rings even more true for those who live on the streets become grateful for even getting a simple bit of bread or water. When we humble ourselves and limit what we can take in, like maybe skipping breakfast, eating only a small handful of nuts during lunch and then a PB&J sandwich for dinner, we notice that we are grateful for the food that hits us. It brings a sense of empathy in where we can understand our fellow neighbor who struggles.

    While it should not be the goal, it is still a benefit for fasting to make food taste better. Fasting will enhance the quality and taste of the food you consume, even if it's just something small. Quoting from Basil's homily again, we see a picture of this where he teaches that "fast­ing is the occasion of gladness. For, just as thirst makes a drink refreshing and prior hunger makes a meal pleasant, so also fasting heightens our en­joyment of food. For, by interposing itself and interrupting your constant self-indulgence, it will make the consumption of food appear desirable to you, like an absent friend. Hence, if you wish to make a meal appetizing, accept the transformation that comes about in you from fasting. Because of your intense addiction to lavish fare, you have dulled your enjoyment of food without realizing it, ruining pleasure through hedonism. For noth­ing is so desirable that it does not become contemptible through constant gratification. It is the things that rarely come our way that we enjoy with the greatest avidity. Thus, He Who created us provided that we should take abiding delight in His gifts through an alternation in our lifestyle. Do you not see that the sun is more resplendent after the night, that being awake is more pleasant after sleep, that health is more desirable after the experience of the opposite condition, and that the meal table is more gratifying after a fast? It is the same for the rich and those who dine sumptuously as it is for those whose diet is frugal and improvised."

    When our fasting is performed, you are going to increase your mood as a result of the prayer you utilize. It will also help increase your mood if you perform almsgiving along with it, similar to the practice that was described by Aristides of Athens' description of those who fasted were helping the poor. Some might think this is crazy and find they are more cranky due to not having any food. However, this only rings true if you are under the idea that you must be full and satisfied of hunger to operate. Once one adopts the humble spirit of fasting and replace consumption of food with prayer, you will find joy in this as Galatians 5:22-23 promises us among the fruits of the Spirit. When we submit to God's will and find happiness in that, then it follows that for the Christian, whatever brings about joy with God in mind is to be good for the Christian.

    Another benefit is that it leads to humility to repentance. David in Psalm 35:13 says something interesting. "I afflicted myself with fasting." Interesting how David humbled himself with fasting. Likewise, in Ezra 8:21, we see the following: "Then I proclaimed a fast there... that we might humble ourselves before our God, to seek from him a safe journey for ourselves, our children, and all our possessions." Furthermore, we read from Jonah 3:5-10 that the people fasted, as verse 5 shows "the people of Nineveh believed God; they proclaimed a fast, and everyone, great and small, put on sackcloth." This was done after the message of repentance was preached by Jonah and it was a way that lead to repentance that spared the city of Ninevah. It will lead to one being able to not just resist the desires of the flesh and sin, but it will lead to one who conquers and truly seeks repentance in that humility. It will cause one to weep and pray with the kind of words found in Psalm 51 where repentance is so beautifully yet sorrowfully expressed. As one who has gone through this, I can testify that it will hit you and hurt you hard if there is a sin you have struggled hard with.

CONCLUSION

    In the final analysis of the topic of fasting and praying, we see that it is both biblical, historical and reasonable as a practice of Christian discipline. I can say, at least as an Anglican, that I view it as a mandatory discipline along with praying and almsgiving considering the emphasis on the three in scripture as well as in the history of Christendom. I hope that you can at least take it seriously to at least consider practicing and learn to go slow. There are various ways to practice this fast. You can go full fast, partial fast or fast from certain things. You can even choose which one you want to try. Roman Catholic fasting to abstain from meat on Fridays or abstain from meat, fish, oil, wine, dairy, and eggs like the Eastern Orthodox do. However, do not try to go in strictly routine at the get go. Go slow and take your time as you develop a fasting routine while also remembering to use prayer more often. Let us go forth in prayer and fasting, not for our own benefits, but to give God the glory and to grow closer to Him in all we do in life. Amen.

Why Anti-Calvinists Are Pleasing The Devil & Harming Christ's Body

     We have reached an age of time where we are at a point where new depths of lows have reached in Protestant Christianity. Where unity among the Church was strong until we experienced a wave of the rogue religious police who get to determine who is a heretic based on brand new inventive labels and suggestions as opposed to the tradition of the Christian Church that was gifted to us by the apostles. Even by coming up with brand new interpretations that not only fail in exegesis, but fail to have any historical validity to them. Which doesn't surprise me since one among the group I refer to has essentially stated that the Church Fathers had an inferior understanding of scripture and that modern interpretations are more superior. What group am I referring to? I am talking about the anti-Calvinist types who spend their obsession with Calvinism as a fixation or will go to the extreme of excommunicating Calvinists from being considered Christian.

    I found this line of reasoning to be problematic for a few reasons. The first being that it is just simply not true and is based more on the concept of fear and irrationality as opposed to actual truth matters of these debates. I essentially went through this stage before when I wasn't a Calvinist during my new journey after I became a Christian in 2013, where I would argue they were not Christians and that Calvinism a heresy. However, this same reasoning led me to believe Hell was not real because I thought it was a heresy that made God become a moral monster and that everybody going to heaven with nobody going to hell was the most moral view of God. I eventually repented of this idea. Even as a non-Calvinist now, I have changed my perspective on this after studying the Bible in depth as well as studying Church history.

    Before I get into the full issues with anti-Calvinists, I must preface more as to why I have an issue and some of the people that became a wake up call for me on this. It all first started once I engaged with Leighton Flowers on the subject whenever I became a Calvinist. The whole debacle of people being against Calvinism so passionately was still new to me. Flowers wasn't really the problem, but it was some of those who followed him who were being very toxic. I will refer to why I believe Flowers has addressed this in an article I wrote on him awhile back. Then I started to encounter two popular channels in a similar vein who went by the names of Provisionist Perspective (Eric/Drew) and The Idol Killer (Warren McGrew). Both of these channels went even harder in the direction of anti-Calvinism than Flowers, especially Warren McGrew. I didn't really pay them any mind at first.

    I then realized how some in this group would dehumanize people or separate between the person and the person's faith. In a case where I was struggling with anxiety and depression, I had made this vocal and public before I was contacted via Discord by, what I can assume, was somebody from the Provisionist Perspective (I just cannot remember who). Once he confided in me that I was able to talk to him about anything that was damaging my mental health due to anxiety or depression, I thought everything was fine until much later on where I was essentially dehumanized and counted as a monster teaching immoral doctrines because I was a Calvinist. There was no way I was going to be finding in comfort in my depression or anxiety with them. Even as a non-Calvinist today, I would not consort or seek to have guidance from them.

    So it is with this crowd and their followers who spout the constant obsession of "saving Calvinists from the heresy of Calvinism" that I started to really open my eyes. Even more so once I become Episcopalian and started observing things through the lens and perspective of how would the early church react to these things. It was only when I left Calvinism that I realized truly how dangerous these types were to the body of Christ at the cost of forsaking the heritage of Christianity for the sake of wanting to become the new Martin Luther's of a brand new reformation while also failing to understand why Martin Luther started a reformation to begin with. They simply try to create brand new ideas of what Christian Orthodoxy is without caring for the early sources like the Nicene Creed or the writings of the Early Church Fathers.

    I shall now expound on the major issues of this movement as it relates to Christian unity by first pointing out that this movement treats it like it is a historical heresy. If we examine the Early Church Fathers, we will fail to see the condemnation of it as a heresy. Especially when we examine that the writings of the Fathers contained elements of both Calvinist and Free Will theology. Not every point of TULIP was taught in their writings, but you can find traces. Especially finding Limited Atonement in the writings of Clement of Rome, Irenaeus, and Tertullian while finding Total Depravity in the writings of Ignatius of Antioch, Justin Martyr, and Lactantius. And these are fathers who are either during the Apostolic era of the Church Fathers or during the Pre-Nicene period, long before the rise of Augustine in the Church. Which leads me to my next point.

    Especially once Warren McGrew spoke more on Calvinism, everybody seemed to point to Augustine as the creator of Calvinism (although people like Jesse Morrell taught this idea before). This point is refuted based on the observations in the previous paragraph, but some like to take it a step further. For example, in a video by Warren, he creates a mockery of Augustine of Hippo by claiming the following: Augustine used Manicheanism and Neoplatonism in his philosophy to redefine his own version of Christianity, created the doctrine of Original Sin and rejected free will, and that God threw unbaptized infants into Hell. Mind you, this is a minority position that is affirmed by McGrew and the others in this camp since this would disagree with pretty much the majority of Christianity in the historic and apostolic Church. A minority position disagreed upon by Anglicans (Episcopalians), Roman Catholics, Eastern Orthodox, Lutherans, Wesleyans, etc. when it comes to this topic. While the Eastern Orthodox has a critique of Augustine regarding Original Sin, they still affirm him as a wise teacher and Christian saint since they affirm the Second Council of Constantinople.

    The arguments on Neoplatonism are simply false and are just repeats of Islamic, Unitarian and Atheistic objections against Christianity. Especially since some argue that the Trinity is a Neoplatonist doctrine that was introduced by Clement of Alexandria and Justin Martyr due to their education of Neoplatonism in philosophy as well as suggesting Tertullian was also affected by such thinking in Carthage. Although, some may not see this as a problem and would have to demonstrate why Neoplatonism is false since people like Craig A. Carter who has argued for Christian Neoplatonism being both biblical and historical to the Church.

    Regarding his critique of Augustine's view of infants going to hell if they weren't baptized, this is something that could warrant some form of biblical support since the bible teaches "whoever believes and is baptized will be saved" (Mark 16:16) and "baptism, which this prefigured, now saves you" (1 Peter 3:21) so clearly. Furthermore, the Nicene Creed might affirm this when we say that we believe in "one Baptism for the forgiveness of sins." Thus, it's good to get your children baptized into the Covenant of Chris. Although, I wouldn't necessarily agree with Augustine, I wouldn't say this is a problematic view since Church Fathers before Augustine held to this idea as well. However, maybe there will be a future article on the case for infant baptism.

    The second point that I would take issue with is the problem of caring about more important issues regarding God as well as the doctrine of the Church. Many like to use this approach towards Calvinism to suggest that Calvinists teach a different God than the God of scripture by saying God is wicked because he causes sin, only saves a few as opposed to the whole world, makes preaching of the gospel unnecessary, etc. based on their understanding of Calvinism. However, I would argue that if these things distort or make Calvinism affirm a false God, than this logic can literally be applied to EVERY SINGLE THEOLOGICAL DIFFERENCE!

    For example, consider the Holy Eucharist at church every Lord's Day. Not all the churches in the Protestant tradition, such as certain non-denominational and Baptist churches, consider the Real Presence view of the Eucharist or even practice it every Sunday. While it seems Warren McGrew adheres to a Real Presence view, some of his followers that I have encountered with do not. Which leads me to a question for him and others in his camp (including Leighton Flowers and Provisionist Perspective): Would the lack of affirming Real Presence or participating in the practice every single Sunday be cause enough to consider one a heretic? Especially since this deals with the New Testament teachings with Jesus and Paul both calling these elements the body and blood of Jesus Christ (Mark 14:22-25, Luke 22:18-20, 1 Corinthians 10:16). One could argue if they reject the Real Presence view, then they turn Jesus, who is God, into a liar and thus making God no longer a sinless sacrifice for humanity.

    Another point is regarding the issue of Baptism in regards to the subject of Baptismal Regeneration, a doctrine which teaches according to the Episcopal Dictionary of the Church that "at baptism the candidates are not only initiated into the Christian community but are also “born again.” That is, the Holy Spirit pours upon them the gift of new life... Like the transformation of bread into the body of Christ at the eucharist, baptismal new life is “spiritually” discerned. The transformation of the baptized persons into participants in the risen life of Christ is not seen with ordinary vision. This transformation is seen with eyes opened by the Spirit." We can see cases where Baptism is defined as something that "saves" the sinner (John 3:5-7, Acts 2:38, Acts 22:16, 1 Peter 3:21), which makes this an issue regarding the teaching on the doctrine of salvation in the same way that the Calvinist and non-Calvinist views of Atonement differ. So if one doesn't affirm the baptism saves, which would be really important if infant baptism was taught (which it was by Irenaeus, Hippolytus, Origen, Cyprian of Carthage, John Chrysostom, etc. long before Augustine). This could then be argued that either side in this heated debate is considered preaching a false gospel since we are discussing whether or not baptism saves us. Would infant baptists be in danger of going to hell under the view of these non-Calvinists?

    A final issue to address in doctrinal division is one that even I used to be hotly against and that is the doctrine of Christian fasting, especially when the season of Lent hits around for the 40 day fast. Not every Christian practices the discipline of fasting, although you can find it practiced among Anglicans, Lutherans, Roman Catholics, Eastern Orthodox, Methodists and Presbyterians. Some would refer to Christian fasting to be something that is considered a "papist" tradition started by the Roman Catholic church and that there is no biblical mandate for fasting. Despite Jesus' words on it in Matthew 6, we also see fasting would imitate Jesus' fasting for 40 days in the wilderness as well as Moses 40 day fasting. Plus, it was essential in Acts for the early church to utilize prayer and fasting while appointing leadership over churches. Plus Acts 13:2-3 shows that several Christians were "worshiping the Lord and fasting" and thus demonstrates a way to practice it is permissible, if not mandatory based on the other passages of Scripture. Should we consider those who do not fast as non-Christians or people that make Jesus somebody we shouldn't listen to when it comes to fasting?

    The point addressed is simply that these are issues which are among the issue of adiaphora, or theological triage as others have called it. They are not differences worth splitting the church over. Unfortunately, I have seen this in the case of one anti-Calvinist by the name of Tim Stratton, who I talked about before. I mentioned how I feared he would call Calvinists non-Christians and heretics in the future. Well, Tim managed to do just that on his social media when the question was pushed and his admitted reasons that he stated were not ones of biblical or church tradition reasons, but that instead it was simply mere philosophy that he came to this conclusion. He had no problem essentially, in dividing up the body of Christ by calling heresy or non-Christian, something that would never have been considered such in the first six centuries of the Christian Church.

    Another issue that I would take with this is that it hurts the Church by becoming an exclusive institution as opposed to an inclusive one. Everyone has different beliefs to a degree without division. What I see from McGrew, Drew, Eric, Tim and many others is that of John in Mark 9:38-41 where we read the following: "John said to him, “Teacher, we saw someone casting out demons in your name, and we tried to stop him because he was not following us.” But Jesus said, “Do not stop him, for no one who does a deed of power in my name will be able soon afterward to speak evil of me. Whoever is not against us is for us. For truly I tell you, whoever gives you a cup of water to drink because you bear the name of Christ will by no means lose the reward." It is essentially people wanting to stop others outside of their denomination or thought to be welcomed into the Church, which is something Jesus clearly disapproves of.

    I see that it becomes more of an extremist side to gatekeeping in the Christian Church. One that extends past the Christianity taught by the Apostle's, Nicene and Athanasian Creeds which affirms the essential doctrines of The Triune God, The Incarnation of Jesus Christ, The Hypostatic Union, The Resurrection, The Atonement, The Universal (catholic) Church, Baptism for the forgiveness of sins, and the Afterlife. None of these early ecumenical creeds in the church that Christians accept do not touch on anything regarding Calvinism's doctrines as essentials or heresies. Neither do the first seven ecumenical councils of the Church address these either. What these would be considered is, as Gavin Ortlund refers to in his book called "Finding the Right Hills to Die On", a third rank doctrine. Third rank doctrines are essentially doctrines which are important because they affect Christian theology in a way similar to one's view of Creation is held (such as Young Earth, Old Earth or Theistic Evolutionary Creationism) as well as one's view of the millennium that is discussed in Revelation. We can essentially still fellowship and be considered Christians who adhere to Christian doctrine and worship the same God while having different doctrines.

    My final issue is that it becomes more so a way to butcher Christ's body brutally and have Satan watching us from the background in joy at what people like Provisionist Perspective, Warren McGrew and Tim Stratton do along with those who they influence as followers. 1 Corinthians 1:10 teaches us to "be in agreement and that there be no divisions" as well as to "be knit together in the same mind and the same purpose." Ephesians 4:3 teaches that we are to make "every effort to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace." The unity and diversity taught in Romans 12:4-5 teach that "For as in one body we have many members and not all the members have the same function, so we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually we are members one of another." Jesus even prayed in John 17:23 that we as Christians "may become completely one." Why should he pray this? Well he explains that it is "so that the world may know that you have sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me." So in order to let the world know that Christ was sent by God and that we are loved by God, we are to be in unity.

    While there are certainly some Calvinists like James R. White and others in their camp who are notorious for causing massive divisions on issues like Thomism, there is essentially doctrinal sectarianism among the anti-Calvinists to the point that it seems very exclusive to a strange level of either cultic or ecumenical to the point of finding salvation outside of Christ. The worst part of this can be examined in an analogy. Imagine there are two arms which do their own tasks uniquely that contribute to the body. One day, the right arm doesn't agree with the stuff that the left arm did such as certain things it wrote or what it picked up to insert into the body's mouth. The right arm soon goes to try and pull the left arm off, but the right arm is resisted against and the left arm is supported by other members of the body. Then the right arm goes to use an object outside of the body such as a butcher knife or a saw in order to chop the left arm brutally off. It is now no longer part of the body. It has been forcibly removed, but at the cost of the loss of blood in which the body is now dying. It won't take time either as the right arm preaches to the rest of the body that it is saving the body from the left hand's harm. The other members slowly start to believe and agree, thinking nothing should be done as the body slowly dies to it's eventual end. The body has died, because the other members fought each other. This is what is being done when people the church fights against itself here. This is what The Idol Killer, Provisionist Perspective, Tim Stratton and others accomplish in their crusade.

    I take major issue with people considering people anathema for reasons that are not even in line with the history of the church, let alone the Bible. Instead of discussing the falsehood of Islam with it's unitarian presuppositions and teachings of Muhammad, we are seeing Calvinism condemned as demonic. Instead of engaging with the atheist community's newest arguments that are popular such as the Meager Moral Fruits argument and the Logical Problem of the Trinity, we see only engaging with debates on total depravity and whether or not it is considered a doctrine of demons. Whenever the people leave the faith for something like Islam, Atheism, Hinduism, Polytheism, etc. and a curiosity as to why they left is brought up, they must automatically blame Calvinism as they did for quite a while. There was even a friend I used to have before I had to cut that friendship up where he claimed that Calvinists who became atheists were never really Christians and were lying to infiltrate the Church. It was truly a sad thing to see that people, like Provisionist Perspective, were sharing around the ideas of this hyper paranoia of mass conspiracy theories like the Calvinists were infiltrating the church to take over, despite this could literally be applied to every theological person (such as Molinists enter the church and will teach Molinism or baptismal regeneration adherents will infiltrate a church to teach baptismal regeneration). It is a new age of fear mongering and mass hysteria being incited by a new generation of Christians. Ones who have not even studied Church history to avoid repeating the mistakes.

    It also makes the Christian faith become nothing more than a joke and a laughing stock to the non-Christians. They will be hindered from the gospel message because they will not see it in us since the Church is so divided. They will view us as merely "Christians" by name and that we do not practice the teachings of Jesus as taught in the New Testament. They will see us as not peacemakers, but as people opposed to peace in Christ. They will not see us as a united and catholic church, but as a divided and arrogant Church. This will not seem as a welcoming environment to the people who want to become Christian. I have even had people tell me that they want to become Christian, but they cannot join when they see so much arguing and division among other Christians. This is the kind of harm and damage that people who are anti-Calvinists are contributing to and joining.

    I find this time to be one of grief since these are Christians who usually don't see a problem with division and in fact will incite this division as a cheerful and glorious thing. I have no hatred or ill will towards them, but I do pray for their repentance and I pray for the unity of peace in the church. We already have enough harmful division where people are dividing over the practices of certain holidays, splitting the church up with ethnicity or nationality as a way to promote nationalist ideas, and even causing heartaches by doubting somebody's faith and salvation simply based on which president we voted for. It is a painful sight to see and I pray that these Christians in the Church repent and put their petty differences aside as well as their pride. Let us pray for the unity of the Church.

O God, our heavenly Father, whose blessed Son came to bring us all into one family in you: We pray for the unity of the church in the world. Help us to seek to heal the divisions which keep us from one another and weaken our efforts to extend your kingdom on earth. Give us understanding of other people's points of view, save us from prejudice, and grant that as we see clearly our Savior's will that his church may be one, so we may labor in love to bring it to pass. Amen.

- Prayers for All Occasions, (p. 90)

Lord Jesus Christ, who prayed that all your children might be one: We pray for the restoration of unity in your church. Forgive the pride and suspicion which have driven us apart. Take away our narrow-mindedness, our bitterness, our prejudice, our inability to see you in the face of our brother. May we never consider as normal the disunity which is a scandal to the world and an affront to your love. Teach us to recognize the gifts of your grace in all who call upon your through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

- from the Reformed Church Liturgy, found in the Prayers For All Occasions (p. 91)