Book Review: Fasting

I saw this book in a bookstore about a month ago, and the very thought of it intrigued me enough. . . that a month later I bought it, and I've just about devoured it. (. . . an odd choice of words to use with a book on fasting. . . )

McKnight contends that fasting is a response that faithful people make to a grievous sacred moment. Interesting. . .

Of course he makes it plain that since the 1700's (if not earlier) fasting has become a long lost art in western Christianity. The question that has haunted me throughout my reading of the book though is: do we respond to any grievous sacred moments anymore? How often to we recognize that we're taking part in something sacred, much less grievous?

And, if we were graced with such realization - and we succumbed to living in the shadow of the realization of such moments, might we not observe a fast?

Good book. An even better practice.

I recommend both.