Rediscovering the genuine Christian meaning of fasting. Why should we fast? Can fasting deepen our relationship with God? Can it make us more open to others? These are questions to which this book offers a response. Fasting shows how this ancient tradition remains a powerful tool in today's world. Through careful historical research and analysis, Dag Tessore leads readers to discover the roots of fasting and abstinence in the Christian tradition and to meditate on the value of this time-tested discipline. "May this little book be a timely challenge to all its readers, 'revealing to us ourselves, ' and drawing us closer to one another as, through times of fasting, we draw closer to Christ." Nicholas Sagovsky Canon Theologian, Westminster Abbey