Fasting with Illness: Balancing Spiritual Discipline and Health

Fasting, as a spiritual discipline, involves abstaining from food or drink for a period, often accompanied by prayer and repentance ^{[3, 4]}. The Bible records instances where individuals fasted to humble their souls ^[2], to express sorrow ^[14], or in response to divine judgment and public calamities ^[3]. For example, Daniel fasted for three weeks, abstaining from meat and wine, while praying for his people ^[11]. The physical effects of fasting can include weakness and a gaunt appearance ^[1].

Historically, various traditions have understood and practiced fasting with different emphases. In early Christianity, Tertullian connected fasting with bridling gluttony and lust, suggesting that these two are closely linked ^[10]. He also highlighted the spiritual strength gained through fasting, citing Moses and Elijah as examples of those who fasted beyond normal human capacity and experienced divine encounters ^[8]. Augustine likewise noted that Daniel's fasting involved abstaining from what was otherwise permitted ^[11].

The Catholic tradition, as articulated by Thomas Aquinas, views fasting as a means to bridle the concupiscences of the flesh, particularly those related to food and sexual pleasure ^[5]. For this reason, the Church historically forbade certain foods, such as meat, eggs, and milk products, during fasts, as these were considered to provide more pleasure and incite lust ^[5]. However, Aquinas also taught that satisfaction for sin requires a complete turning away from all sin, implying that fasting is not a standalone means of atonement but part of a broader spiritual discipline ^[6].

The Reformed tradition, represented by John Calvin, emphasized that fasting is primarily a feeling of the mind that manifests externally ^[13]. He identified three main purposes for fasting: to chastise the flesh, to prepare for prayer and meditation, and to express repentance and humiliation before God ^[7]. Calvin cautioned against viewing fasting as a meritorious work or a form of divine worship that earns grace ^[7]. He also warned against superstition and the immoderate extolling of abstinence, citing the observance of Lent as an example of such excess ^[7]. For Calvin, the true spirit of fasting involves "rending the heart, not the garments" ^[7].

The Lutheran tradition, as expressed in the Augsburg Confession, teaches that Christians should use bodily restraints and exercises to subdue themselves, preventing satiety or slothfulness from leading to sin ^[9]. However, it explicitly states that these practices are not for meriting grace or making satisfaction for sins ^[9]. This external discipline should be practiced consistently, not just on specific days ^[9].

Jewish tradition, as seen in Maimonides' Mishneh Torah, places the maintenance of health in perspective. While health is important, it is not an end in itself but a means to enable a person to achieve an awareness of God ^[12]. This perspective suggests that while spiritual disciplines like fasting are valuable, they should not undermine one's health to the point of hindering their ability to serve God.

Across these traditions, there is a common understanding that fasting is a spiritual discipline intended to draw individuals closer to God, often through self-denial and humility ^{[4, 3]}. However, the emphasis on health and the avoidance of harm is also implicitly or explicitly present. The purpose of fasting is not to inflict suffering for its own sake, but to cultivate spiritual growth and intimacy with God ^[4]. Therefore, when illness is present, the balance between spiritual discipline and physical well-being becomes a crucial consideration, aligning with the broader principle that physical health can be a prerequisite for spiritual service ^[12].

Sources

Psalms “Psalms 109:24 (BSB) — My knees are weak from fasting, and my body grows lean and gaunt.”
Psalms “Psalms 69:10 (LITV) — When I humbled my soul with fasting, it also was to my reproach;”
Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Fasting — Spirit of, explained -- Isa 58:6,7. Not to be made a subject of display -- Mt 6:16-18. Should be to God -- Zec 7:5; Mt 6:18. For the chastening of the soul -- Ps 69:10. For the humbling of the soul -- Ps 35:13. Observed on occasions of Judgments of God. -- Joe 1:14; 2:12. Public calamities. -- 2Sa 1:12. Afflictions of the Church. -- Lu 5:33-35. Afflictions of others. -- Ps 35:13; Da 6:18. Private afflictions. -- 2Sa 12:16. Approaching danger. -- Es 4:16. Ordination of ministers. -- Ac 13:3; 14:23. Accompanied by Prayer. -- Ezr 8:23; Da 9:3. Confession of si”
Luke (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Luke 5:33: 5:33 John the Baptist’s disciples: Most rabbis had students who learned from them and served them (see also Acts 19:1-7). • fast and pray regularly: Many pious Jews fasted two days a week (Luke 18:12). Fasting was associated with spiritual preparation (Esth 4:16) and repentance (2 Sam 12:22; Joel 1:14; Jon 3:5). Fasting is not a means of righteousness (Isa 58:4-5; Jer 14:12) but a spiritual discipline for cultivating intimacy with God. Fasting is often linked with prayer and spiritual retreat. • Why are your disciples always eating and drinking? The point was that t”
theology (Catholic (Scholastic)) “Aquinas, Summa Theologica, Second Part of the Second Part (Secunda Secundae), Of Fasting, Art. 8: Article: Whether it is fitting that those who fast should be bidden to abstain from flesh meat, eggs, and milk foods? I answer that, As stated above (Article [6]), fasting was instituted by the Church in order to bridle the concupiscences of the flesh, which regard pleasures of touch in connection with food and sex. Wherefore the Church forbade those who fast to partake of those foods which both afford most pleasure to the palate, and besides are a very great incentive to lust. Such are the flesh ”
theology (Catholic (Scholastic)) “Aquinas, Summa Theologica, Supplement (Supplementum), Of the Quality of Satisfaction, Art. 1: Article: Whether a man can satisfy for one sin without satisfying for another? I answer that, Some have held that it is possible to make satisfaction for one sin and not for another, as the Master states (Sent. iv, D, 15). But this cannot be. For since the previous offense has to be removed by satisfaction, the mode of satisfaction must needs be consistent with the removal of the offense. Now removal of offense is renewal of friendship: wherefore if there be anything to hinder the renewal of friendshi”
CCEL (Reformed) “John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion, section 94: and third ends. 16. Public fasting and prayer appointed by pastors on any great emergency. 17. Examples of this under the Law. 18. Fasting consists chiefly in three things—viz. time, the quality, and sparing use of food. 19. To prevent superstition, three things to be inculcated. 1. The heart to be rent, not the garments. 2. Fasting not to be regarded as a meritorious work or kind of divine worship. 3. Abstinence must not be immoderately extolled. 20. Owing to an excess of this kind the observance of Lent was established. This supe”
Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “ANF Vol 4: Tertullian IV, Minucius Felix, Commodian, Origen — CHAP. VI.--THE PHYSICAL TFNDENCIES OF FASTING AND FEEDING CONSIDERED. THE CASES OF MOSES AND ELIJAH. (part 2): of the stomach.(12) On the other hand, he whose "heart" was habitually found "lifted up" (13) rather than fattened up, who in forty days and as many nights maintained a fast above the power of human nature, while spiritual faith subministered strength (to his body),(14) both saw with his eyes God's glory, and heard with his ears God's voice, and understood with his heart God's law: while He taught him even then (by experien”
Augsburg Confession (Lutheran) “Augsburg Confession (Lutheran, 1530), 33 Moreover, they teach that every Christian ought to train and: 33 Moreover, they teach that every Christian ought to train and subdue himself with bodily restraints, or bodily exercises and labors that neither satiety nor slothfulness tempt him to sin, but not that we may merit grace or make satisfaction for sins by such exercises. 34 And such external discipline ought to be urged at all times, not only on a few and set days. So Christ commands, 35 Luke 21:34: Take heed lest your hearts 36 be overcharged with surfeiting; also Matt. 17:21: This kind goeth”
Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “ANF Vol 4: Tertullian IV, Minucius Felix, Commodian, Origen — CHAP. I.--CONNECTION OF GLUTTONY AND LUST. GROUNDS OF PSYCHICAL OBJECTIONS AGAINST THE MONTANISTS. (part 1): I Should wonder at the Psychics, if they were enthralled to voluptuousness alone, which leads them to repeated marriages, if they were not likewise bursting with gluttony, which leads them to hate fasts. Lust without voracity would certainly be considered a monstrous phenomenon; since these two are so united and concrete, that, had there been any possibility of disjoining them, the pudenda would not have been affixed to the b”
Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “NPNF1 Vol 4: Augustine — Anti-Manichaean, Anti-Donatist — BOOK XXX. (part 2): but even from what it allowed;(2) and you are wont to praise them, and count them as martyrs; though they too followed the doctrine of devils, if this is to be taken as the apostle's opinion. And Daniel himself declares that he fasted for three weeks, not eating flesh or drinking wine, while he prayed for his people.(3) How is it that he boasts of this doctrine of devils, and glories in the falsehood of a lying spirit? 3. Again, what are we to think of you, or of the better class of Christians among you, some of whom”
Mishneh Torah (Maimonides) (Jewish (Rabbinic)) “Mishneh Torah (Maimonides), Mishneh Torah%2C Human Dispositions 3:3: A person who accustoms himself to live by [the rules of] medicine does not follow a proper path if his sole intention is that his entire body and limbs be healthy 1 The Rambam puts the maintenance of health mentioned in the previous halachah into proper perspective. It is not to be pursued as a goal in its own right. Rather, it should be appreciated as merely a means to enable one to reach an awareness of God. The Rambam develops this idea at length in Shemoneh Perakim Chapter 5. There, he states: A person should have the int”
CCEL (Reformed) “John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion, section 94: any one in private, then the same thing is to be done by himself alone, or by his family. The thing, indeed, is properly a feeling of the mind. But when the mind is effected as it ought, it cannot but give vent to itself in external manifestation, especially when it tends to the common edification, that all, by openly confessing their sin, may render praise to the divine justice, and by their example mutually encourage each other. 16. Hence fasting, as it is a sign of humiliation, has a more frequent use in public than among privat”
CCEL (Reformed) “John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion, section 58: exhorts them to turn away the divine anger not only by repenting, but by giving public signs of sorrow. For as a criminal, to excite the commiseration of the judge, appears in a supplicating posture, with a long beard, uncombed hair, and coarse clothing, so should those who are charged at the judgment-seat of God deprecate his severity in a garb of wretchedness. But although sackcloth and ashes were perhaps more conformable to the customs of these times, 315 315 French, “Fust la coustume de ce temps-la, et ne nous appartienne aujou”

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