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A Presbyterian View of Ash Wednesday

by Joe Thacker | Feb 12, 2013 | Tags: , ,

The church calendar is a tool that is full of the wisdom of the ages. It is a tradition that pre-dates the Reformation and belongs to all of Christendom. God has been sanctifying his people for centuries, and an Ash Wednesday service (as well as the season of Lent as a whole) has proved to be helpful to that end. In our day especially, a sentimentalized, artificially-sweetened version of the gospel is all too popular.

Ash Wednesday (with or without receiving ashes) and the season of Lent remind us that the biblical narrative has some darker themes and threads as well, and we are not doing the Scriptures justice if we totally neglect them. We want to be well-rounded Christians, shaped by the whole counsel of God, not just a few favorite "happy" texts. The church calendar imposes a discipline upon us, bringing us into contact with the more unsettling, uncomfortable teachings of the Word. But it does so in order that we may have a fuller and deeper joy when the celebrative seasons of the calendar roll around! My guess is that Easter will mean more to those who have been through Ash Wednesday (just like Christmas means more to those to observe Advent).

But Ash Wednesday and the like not only put us in touch with the overarching narrative of Scripture; the calendar also links us with the historic catholic church. Americans do not have to observe the 4th of July to be American -- but there's no doubt that doing so can encourage patriotism (love for country), a deeper sense of appreciation for "the American story," civic virtues, a sense of belonging, etc. In the same way, but much more deeply, the church year forms in us a Christian identity, a greater sense of our history, stronger bonds of fellowship, etc.
Yes, we are Presbyterian -- but more than that, we are "simply Christian." Our Presbyterian distinctives do not really define us. They are important, but not ultimate. We are proud to be associated with the wider church, as she has existed through the centuries and throughout the world today. The fact is, the vast majority of God's people will be doing Ash Wednesday and observing Lent in some form or fashion, just as they have done for almost two millennia -- why should we hold out rather than joining in?
Ash Wednesday has not necessarily been a feature of Presbyterian church life, but if you look closely at the historical reasons for that, you find that many of them were reactionary or political and are no longer applicable in our situation.
Adapted and posted by Joe Thacker, pastor of St. Mark Reformed Church, Brentwood, TN, from an article by Rich Lusk, Trinity Presbyterian Church, Birmingham, AL.

But Ash Wednesday and the like not only put us in touch with the overarching narrative of Scripture; the calendar also links us with the historic catholic church. Americans do not have to observe the 4th of July to be American, but there's no doubt that doing so can encourage patriotism (love for country), a deeper sense of appreciation for "the American story," civic virtues, a sense of belonging, etc. In the same way, but much more deeply, the church year forms in us a Christian identity, a greater sense of our history, stronger bonds of fellowship, etc.

Yes, we are Presbyterian, but more than that, we are "simply Christian." Our Presbyterian distinctives do not really define us. They are important, but not ultimate. We are proud to be associated with the wider church, as she has existed through the centuries and throughout the world today. The fact is, the vast majority of God's people will be doing Ash Wednesday and observing Lent in some form or fashion, just as they have done for almost two millennia. Why should we hold out rather than joining in?

Adapted and posted by Joe Thacker, pastor of St. Mark Reformed Church, Brentwood, TN, from an article by Rich Lusk, Trinity Presbyterian Church, Birmingham, AL.