Lent from an Atheist's Perspective

By Shannon Smith

 

This year, as Lent comes to a close, I am writing a confession. This year, Lent was a fulfilling and spiritual experience for me. For millions of Americans who participate in Lent in some form or the other, I am sure this is not news. They experience Lent by fasting or giving up something else of value, each year for the sake of a higher power. Not so for me. The reason why observing Lent was a confession for me, is that I'm not a Catholic, or even a Christian. I am a proud atheist.

Lent is More Than Just Fasting

By Jonathan Powers

 

Lent is here again, and Catholics like myself are looking forward to a season of spiritual reflection and prayer. For many, Lent is a time for repentance, for others an opportunity for helping others through charity. At the same time, it has become a question for those who don't believe fasting is the way to earn God's love. Is fasting all there is to Lent? How does one strike a balance between extremes?

God Speaks in Many Tongues

By Nancy Agafitei

Lent is a season of preparation in the Christian church year that begins on Ash Wednesday and fills the 40 days (excluding Sundays) leading up to Easter, the day celebrated as the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead after his crucifixion. In the ancient Church, the weeks leading up to Easter were a time of intensive preparation for the candidates who were to be baptized at the Easter vigil on Holy Saturday. This focus suggests that the season of Lent serves not only as a time to meditate on the suffering that Christ endured on our behalf but also as an opportunity to reflect upon our own Baptism and what it means to live as a child of God.