When You Fast: New book from CLTS professor

ST. CATHARINES, Ontario – Rev. Dr. Harold Ristau, Associate Professor of Theology at Concordia Lutheran Theological Seminary (CLTS), has authored a new book, When You Fast: The Sacramental Character of Fasting.

The new book is published by Wipf and Stock Publishers, and features a foreword by CLTS President Thomas Winger.

“In our present age in which apostolic Christianity is a foreign notion to many Christians, it is of little wonder that many of the beliefs of our ancient fathers have been deemed outdated, including the importance of fasting,” notes a press release on the book’s publication. “By exploring the Holy Scriptures, patristics, Christian tradition, and personal experience, Lutheran seminary professor Harold Ristau seeks to answer the question ‘Why fast?’”

The release continues: “Through this concise examination of a historic Christian practice, which is as rich with meaning today as it was in antiquity, the reader is left with a deepened appreciation for Christian fasting. Ristau’s lively reflections on the relevance of fasting for catechesis, evangelism, and spiritual warfare fill the soul with great consolation. After all, our Lord Jesus’ words—“when you fast”—presume that this vital discipline is already happening, and perhaps without you even knowing it.”

The book is available from Wipf and Stock as well as from the CLTS bookstore.

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