Ash Wednesday worship, like Palm Sunday worship, is a Christian tradition. There is absolutely nothing wrong with it. The real measure of it is aligning it with a biblical view of Christianity.
That isn’t really very hard. It was roughly 6 months before the resurrection when the bible says that Jesus ‘set his face steadfastly toward Jerusalem’ (Luke 11). It reiterates that about 2 months (Luke 17) before his final Passover. He was on his way to the cross. He also instructs Christians to take up their cross and follow him. So, a period of cross-bearing prior to Easter seems biblically reasonable, contrary to nothing biblical I can think of, and not a bad tradition.
As you probably have detected over the years, I’m a strong advocate of true Christian unity. This service is something we all can share. My sense is we should celebrate such opportunities.
Thank you.
“Ash Wednesday worship, like Palm Sunday worship, is a Christian tradition. “
Palm Sunday is rooted in the Jewish Feasts. The celebration of that feast was why people were carrying palms and used them to welcome Christ as king in the triumphal entry.
Ash Wednesday has no Jewish Feast connection, nor no practice before 100 ad. In that sense, no, it also has no Christian roots.
At some point after the Scriptures were written, the Apostles died and time moved on quite a way, some Christians began to do this. It arose later. I suspect its origin was pagan religion incorporated into Rome’s version of Christianity.
At this point, some Christian religions do it. It is certainly a tradition for them now.