Thursday, February 6, 2020
6:00 pm EST - 8:00 pm EST
Live Streamed
Description
“Today’s student will largely have to educate himself in the highest things. He will do this by reading and conversing—even by prayer and fasting. The college student needs the virtue that enables him to see the origins, the first principles. These will be invisible to the person who cultivates evil habits—since his mind will busy itself, even exhaust itself, trying to rationalize the person’s bad decisions. He won’t even have the energy to try to search for truth.” – Fr. James Schall, “How to Keep Your Virtue in College,” August 2017
In this installment of the CIC’s Fr. James V. Schall Lecture Series, Jay W. Richards, PhD, delves into the topic of his latest book, Eat, Fast, Feast: Heal Your Body While Feeding Your Soul—A Christian Guide to Fasting.
Dr. Richards blends old Christian eating habits with current research on the benefits of fasting in this spirited outing. Richards stumbled into fasting when he eliminated certain foods from his diet in conjunction with medical tests. Instead of feeling the fatigue he expected, Richards noticed moments of lucidity and strength and decided to explore the practice. Christians used to fast as part of their normal routine, he writes, but it has been forgotten over the years except for special occasions, such as Lent. Richards presents a plan that incorporates keto diet principles, which help the body burn fat, and explores the simple “16 hour fast” as well as the relationship between fasting and cultivating discipline, sacrifice, and ultimately holiness. Facts about how the body breaks down carbs and regulates insulin help readers make informed choices about adopting a healthy diet. He also provides ideas for feasts and “mini-feasts” that, following times of fasting, allow for healthy, communal eating experiences. Christians interested in fasting diet trends will find this instructional and convincing.
The Fr. James V. Schall Lecture Series is a monthly feature of the Catholic Information’s Center’s program with speakers addressing recurring themes in Fr. Schall’s writings, such as liberal learning, the relationship between faith and reason, and great writers in the Catholic tradition.
What people are saying
Richards is a polymath you can trust, and Eat, Fast, Feast is trustworthy and true. If you are confused about when to eat and when to abstain from eating, don’t delay, read today. I did, and the results have been transformational.
Hank Hanegraaff
Host of the Bible Answer Man
Richards helps us to understand why fasting is important, helpful, and spiritually nourishing. Richards is a wise, informed guide into an ancient, life-enhancing practice. If you interested in fasting and seek a wise path into the discipline, this is the book for you. Highly recommended.
Christopher Hall
President of Renovaré
About the Speaker
Jay W. Richards, Ph.D., is author of many books including the New York Times bestsellers Infiltrated (2013) and Indivisible (2012). He is also the author of Money, Greed, and God, winner of a 2010 Templeton Enterprise Award; and co-author of The Privileged Planet with astronomer Guillermo Gonzalez. His most recent book, co-authored with Jonathan Witt, is The Hobbit Party: The Vision of Freedom that J.R.R. Tolkien Got and the West Forgot.
