Christian fasting in postmodern society

This article by Thanassis N. Papathanassiou examines the practice of Christian fasting in light of the cultural, anthropological, and social transformations of postmodern society. Drawing on theological and pastoral study, it articulates a critical reflection on Orthodox pre-conciliar discussions concerning fasting, confronting them with contemporary realities. The author argues that the dominant conception of fasting, reduced to a "chemical" logic centered on food categories, betrays the authentic ascetic ideal of the tradition. He proposes rethinking fasting around four axes: the relevance of inherited dietary criteria, the theological dialectic between anticipation and feast, ecological responsibility, and solidarity with the poor. The article's main contribution is to show that fidelity to tradition requires not the immutability of forms, but the living transmission of its fundamental criteria, adapted to the real contexts of the universal Church.