Self harm and inflicting intentional pain upon the body is contrary to historic, traditional Christian ascetic practice. Self-flagellation and self-crucifixion are abhorrent practices.
Mortification of the flesh is not about harming the body, it is not about self-harm; it is about drowning the old man in repentance. That language of "drowning the old man" is a common one in the Lutheran tradition, it explicitly calls to mind our baptism; that at the moment of our baptism the old man died, and the new man was raised up.
The old man--the sinful, fallen, broken, mortal, humanity which we inherited from Adam.
The new man--the new, transformed, healed, immortal humanity of Jesus Christ, the "Second Adam".
The Christian life is one of paradox, we are simul iustus et peccator; "both saint and sinner". The old Adam though dead continues to cling to us. The reason we preach the Law is to continue to crucify the old man, that the old man remains charged with condemnation by the Law; even as the new man is free from the condemnation of the Law, and has been made alive by the power of the Holy Spirit, in the image of Christ, and is free in the freedom of Christ and the Gospel.
This struggle between the old man and the new man is presented in its clearest sense in Romans chapter 7, where the Apostle St. Paul speaks of his own struggle between the old self enslaved to sin; and the new self in Christ. He continues into Romans chapter 8 with the bold declaration that all who are in Christ are no longer condemned; the condemnation of the Law against the old Adam is not our destruction, because we have a new life that is found in Jesus Christ, by the power of the Holy Spirit--and the new man, who lives by faith, has the promises and the hope of God in Jesus. So that we are children and heirs of God, with Christ, and even as Christ was raised up in the body, so shall we be raised up in the body (Romans 8:11).
The Lutheran tradition is far more cautious about ascetic practice than Catholicism, in part because in the late medieval and transition into the early modern period there were some pretty extreme ascetics--the Flagellants for example were groups of Christians who took to traveling around literally whipping themselves. This practice was by and large officially condemned by Church authorities; but one of the major problems of late medieval Catholicism was the huge disconnect between official Church teaching and practice and lay belief and practice. That is, the laity were largely ignorant, and this was often because even the clergy were ignorant. For Luther this was a horrible and extremely tragic situation, he realized that what the average Christian was receiving in the Church wasn't the Gospel, but a religious cocktail of fear. Luther wasn't alone in this, there were many in the Western (Catholic) Church who realized that serious reform was necessary.
Thus Luther, and the other Lutheran fathers, wanted to emphasize Christian freedom. So practices such as fasting were retained, such as on traditional fast days and seasons like Lent; but to what degree the individual participates in fasting became a matter of individual choice and discretion. Ascetic practice was downplayed in large part because the ascetic practices of the late middle ages had come to be seen as ways of getting closer to God, of becoming more holy or spiritual. People were joining monasteries out of a belief that being a monastic provided a better chance of salvation. This was also why Luther targeted monasticism so sharply and critically.
There are good reasons for ascetic practices, such as fasting. For example fasting historically was accompanied by giving of alms for the poor. The historic fasting practices of abstaining from certain kinds of foods (meat, dairy, eggs) during Lent was in part a way of recognizing certain luxurious foods (at the time) that were unavailable to most poor people. Simple, easily accessible foods such as fish and bread were allowed during great fasts because these were the cheaper, poorer foods. And so times of fasting provide us times of reflection--to help cultivate prayer, and a penitential attitude, and focus our energies and attention on the least of these in our midst.
Lutherans continue to observe Lent, and observe Lent seriously--but much less focus is placed on ascetical rigor; and more focus is placed on Lent as a season of sober reflection and repentance. Hence the beginning of Lent--Ash Wednesday--is still very much part of Lutheran practice. We are dust, and to dust we shall return. This life is not a gift to be squandered selfishly on sin and self; but a gift to be lived fully in love toward our fellow man. This penitential season affords us the time and opportunity to take our own mortality seriously. Lent is leading somewhere as well, it is leading us to Holy Week, of Christ's final week, the week of His Passion, the week that ends with Christ crucified, dead, and buried. We are dust, and to dust we shall return: However! Easter Sunday Christ was raised from the dead, conquering death by death, and granting life to all who are in the grave. That is the Hallelujah of Easter. Death is not the end, God did not let Jesus see decay, Jesus Christ is not dust, but alive in the flesh, raised up, ascended, and exalted at the right hand of the Father (Acts of the Apostles 2:24-36), and this same Jesus will return, and the dead shall be raised.
Lent, therefore, is not a morbid obsession with our mortality; but rather the prelude to the full and abundant life found in Easter.
The old man must die; and the new man must live.
The old Adam must be buried, the new Adam in Christ is raised up.
-CryptoLutheran
