Posted on 03/01/2006 10:35:38 AM PST by Full Court
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Tradition catching on with BaptistsProtestants begin to take part in Ash Wednesday for its theological lessons
Wednesday, March 01, 2006
GREG GARRISON News staff writerIt used to be that Baptists had nothing to do with Ash Wednesday, a liturgical holiday they associated with Catholics. No more. "It's a good way of putting the congregation in the right mind-set to prepare for Easter," said the Rev. Christopher Hamlin, pastor of Tabernacle Baptist Church in Smithfield. An ecumenical service at 6:30 tonight at Our Lady Queen of the Universe Catholic Church will include participation by three Baptist churches - Baptist Church of the Covenant and Trinity Baptist, both on Southside, and Tabernacle. "For us to go to the Catholic church, that's something new as Baptists," said the Rev. Sarah Jackson Shelton, the Covenant pastor. "It unites us as the bigger church, and with a larger tradition. ... It's being part of a sacred story that belongs to all of us." Other Baptist churches observe the tradition on their own. Fellowship of the Valley, for example, will have a service at 7 tonight at the Lake Cyrus Clubhouse in Hoover. "It's an appreciation for the symbols of our faith, an opportunity to see, feel and touch those symbols," said the fellowship's pastor, the Rev. Michial Lewis. Lewis said the Reformation of the 1500s, when Martin Luther led a reaction against abuses in the Roman Catholic Church, resulted in rejection of traditions such as Lent by many Protestants. "We do emphasize that our relationship with Christ is through faith alone, and the reformers wanted to avoid the appearance that we gain acceptance with God through rituals or symbols," Lewis said. "Now, people can understand the difference. These symbols come alongside as holy reminders." Robert Hodgson, dean of the Nida Institute for Biblical Scholarship at the American Bible Society in New York City, said many evangelicals are beginning to see the biblical roots of Lent. "Jesus goes into the wilderness for 40 days and disciplines himself with fasting and prayer." The 40 days of Lent are preparation for Easter, when Christians celebrate the resurrection of Jesus. Easter is April 16 this year for more than a billion Western Christians and April 23 for Eastern Orthodox. Baptists are taking an increased interest in the liturgical season for its theological lessons, Shelton said. "It's important for us to take the opportunity to confess our sin." During many Christian observances of Ash Wednesday, the minister rubs ashes on the foreheads of congregants and says, "You are dust and to dust you shall return," quoting a verse from Genesis. The wearing of ashes is prominent in the New Testament with John the Baptist, who called for repentance and wore sackcloth and ashes. "It's the outward, visible symbol of something that's happening internally," Shelton said. "We too will return to ashes," she said. "There's life beyond that, and hope beyond what we experience in this life."
E-mail: ggarrison@bhamnews.com
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Precisely. So we agree.
Thank you for the post it was very informative.
I might add, Roman Catholic's like to think that the rituals/sacraments that they have added over the years are somehow special because they do them. The reality is plain for all with open hearts and minds. The two sacraments that JESUS performed are what is needed, communion and baptism and these should only be done AFTER someone has come into a right relationship with the LORD.
What's pagan about Ash Wed?
It's certainly not a Biblical or Christian practice to make a mark with ash on the forehead.
Ping to 226
Who died and made you the arbitrator of what is or isn't "Biblical" or "Christian"?
Stop sniping other Christian's beliefs. You've probably got just as much wrong as anyone else.
It's rooted in the ashes of penitence - which are found all over the Old Testament.
I watched the Pope offering the Ash Wednesday Mass on EWTN. He and the co-celebrants sprinkled/crossed the top of the heads of those who came forward. That was interesting. Further, a Cardinal came up, removed the Pope's cap and did the same to him.
The congregation did not line up either. Instead, they sort of milled around at the front and the Priests reached out into the crowd while the Pope sat and did the same to a long line of Priests, Friars, and the like.
Jesus Christ.
The first mention of ashes are in relation to the ashes Moses tossed into the air, which then became boils on the Egyptians.
In another instance, Tamar put ashes on her head after she was raped by her brother.
ping to 233 for the first Scriptural mention of ashes tossed up.
Job 42:6.
Now if you please.
Yes, but what is Biblical instruction for making a mark with ashes on ones forehead?
Jesus Christ did not make you the judge of other Christians. Who are you to judge another man's servant?
Who cares about the "first mention?" That's a fallacious argument.
In another instance, Tamar put ashes on her head after she was raped by her brother.
As a sign of penitance and mourning. When Catholics put that ashen mark on their head, it is a sign of repentance from their sins.
Thank goodness we don't roll around in ash (see Jeremiah 6:26 below). What a mess that would make of the church!
Esther 4:1 When Mordecai learned all that had happened, he tore his clothes and put on sackcloth and ashes, and went out into the midst of the city. He cried out with a loud and bitter cry. 2 He went as far as the front of the king's gate, for no one [might] enter the king's gate clothed with sackcloth. 3 And in every province where the king's command and decree arrived, [there was] great mourning among the Jews, with fasting, weeping, and wailing; and many lay in sackcloth and ashes.
Job 16:15 "I have sewn sackcloth over my skin, And laid my head in the dust.
Job 42:6 Therefore I abhor [myself,] And repent in dust and ashes."
Jeremiah 6:26 O daughter of my people, Dress in sackcloth And roll about in ashes! Make mourning [as for] an only son, most bitter lamentation; For the plunderer will suddenly come upon us.
Daniel 9: 3 Then I set my face toward the Lord God to make request by prayer and supplications, with fasting, sackcloth, and ashes. 4 And I prayed to the LORD my God, and made confession, and said, "O Lord, great and awesome God, who keeps His covenant and mercy with those who love Him, and with those who keep His commandments, 5 "we have sinned and committed iniquity, we have done wickedly and rebelled, even by departing from Your precepts and Your judgments.
Matthew 11: 21 "Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the mighty works which were done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes.
Luke 10:13 " Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the mighty works which were done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago, sitting in sackcloth and ashes.
I just showed you repentance symbolized with ashes. We are now back to what I said earlier was going to happen, namely that some Catholic detractor, having been shown a Scriptural source for a Catholic practice was going to insist that "that can't possibly mean what it plainly says"
And here you are.
Now if you don't mind, I'm trying to study. Unless you can show me Biblical instruction calling for Bible study on Wednesday night we probably should part company now.
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