The basic idea of asceticism is that wealth is wrong and poverty right; in many cases, it also includes the idea that voluntary poverty is a special class of moral excellence. Asceticism is a lifestyle philosophy characterized by the denial of the flesh, especially in the form of basic material pleasures (e.g., food, shelter, possessions). It is sometimes called “poverty theology” because its proponents subject themselves to poverty for theological reasons—the imitation of Christ (Colossians 1:24), the conflict between Spirit and flesh (Galatians 5:16-26), etc. Historically, ascetics have done things like renouncing material possessions, begging for food, living in solitude, even beating their own bodies. At its worst, asceticism is accompanied by an unbiblical merit theology. At its best, it is a spiritual discipline undertaken in response to the gospel of grace.
Is Poverty Spiritual?
Dallas Willard. Chapter in The Spirit of the Disciplines: Understanding How God Changes Lives. Including a new foreword by the author. New York: HarperSanFrancisco, HarperCollins Publishers, 1991.
Many people feel guilty about having money and possessions while others barely have enough on which to live. They also believe that having a surplus seems evil. Therefore, according to this view, we must be poor to be spiritual. Dallas Willard, professor of philosophy at the University of Southern California, considers several disciplines of Christian living, including whether voluntary poverty is essential for holiness. In this essay, he argues that it is not. Because the mere possession of things is not barred by Scripture, the real issue is their proper use. Christians are held responsible by Scripture to be good stewards of what we have and not to love or put our trust in our wealth. “Freedom from possessions is not an outward thing as much as an inward one.” The goal of the Christian should be the absence of greed rather than the absence of materials, and from this we should seek to cultivate an attitude of generosity.
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Poverty Is an Act of Love and Liberation
Gustavo Gutierrez. From “A Theology of Liberation.” Ed. and trans. Caridad Inda and John Eagleson. Maryknoll, N.Y.: Orbis, 1988.
In this brief except from his landmark 1971 book, Peruvian theologian Gustavo Gutierrez argues for the voluntary practice of Christian poverty. He explains, “Christian poverty, and expression of love, is solidarity with the poor and is a protest against poverty. This is the concrete, contemporary meaning of the witness of poverty.”
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Christian Asceticism: Breaking Consumerism’s Destructive Hold
Timothy Vaverek. Houston Catholic Worker 21, no. 1 (January 2001).
In this essay from a Houston Catholic newsletter, parish priest Timothy Vaverek criticizes the powerful trend of consumerism in the modern West. He advocates classical asceticism as a means by which Christians can break the hold of consumerism on their lives. Vaverek explains, “By creating an environment that encourages asceticism, the Church can provide much needed support and vision to those who have become trapped by consumerism.”
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Saying Yes and Saying No
M. Shawn Copeland. Valparaiso, Ind.: Valparaiso Project on the Education and Formation of People in Faith, 2003.
In this essay from a collection advocating certain classical disciplines, theologian M. Shawn Copeland makes a contemporary case for Christian asceticism. She explains, “Spirituality is not a spectator sport. We can't simply rely on others to get in shape for us. The spiritual life requires personal effort over the long haul. The word asceticism comes from the Greek root askesis, signifying exercise or training. The ancient practice of Christian asceticism comes from the training early Christians imposed on themselves in order to be deliberate and purposeful toward Christ's abundant life.”
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