In the 1662 Book of Common Prayer, we confess, “O Lord, have mercy on us, miserable offenders.” Those are deep, strong statements that reveal our condition and status.
Reconciliation: The Grace Of Not Explaining Yourself
One of the most remarkable things in the bulletin at St. Laurence Anglican Church is the Saturday worship schedule, which reads: When I first came to St. Laurence, this line caught me off guard—both unfamiliar and quietly unsettling. Over time, it has come to feel like an invitation to restoration, calling me back into belonging….
The General Confession, Humility, and Healing
The General Confession and the Assurance of Pardon (Absolution) provide us with biblical and true answers to both sides of this equation. As we kneel to confess each week, let us do so with a sober examination of our lives and a grateful heart for Christ’s saving work of redemption.
Like Lost Sheep: Reflections on the General Confession
We easily fall into two ditches during our times of confession: we think that we have to grovel long enough for God to accept our repentance, or we skim over our confession and ignore our sins. The General Confession at the opening of the Office provides us the boundaries we need.
Chasing After Earnest Confession
Years ago, after an evening of moral failure, I attempted to reconcile with God while on a run, wrestling with whether I meant my recitation of the common confession. A Run with the Confession I woke up with a moral hangover. I tried to fall back asleep to avoid the guilt and shame swirling in my…
How to Make a Self-Examination of Sin
When a leech wants to snack on your leg, it secretes a local anesthetic so you do not become aware of its bite. This way, the leech can remain undetected and keep leeching. Leeches are horrible critters; I only bring them up as an analogy—sin is the same way. When we commit a sin, we…
Let Us Kneel Before The Lord: The Biblical Basis for Kneeling in Worship
Anglicans kneel a lot: in prayer, in confession, and at communion. We often surprise visitors from other traditions with our frequent kneeling. Why do we kneel so often? In short, kneeling is Biblical Worship, Bodily Worship, and Beautiful Worship. Kneeling as Biblical Worship The Bible associates kneeling with worship, especially prayers of confession, thanksgiving, and petition. Kneeling in the Old Testament Consider…
Confession: A Rookie Anglican Guide to the Reconciliation of Penitents
When I first explored Anglicanism, I was surprised to come across the Reconciliation of Penitents in my Book of Common Prayer. I was shocked as I read through the rite: this was confession! But wait, isn’t confession a “Catholic” thing? We can approach God without going through a priest! It’s one of the hallmarks of…
Confirmation: A Rookie Anglican Guide
What is Confirmation? Confirmation is a church practice that falls into the category of what the Anglican Catechism calls “rites and institutions commonly called sacraments.” Along with Confirmation, there are four others like it: Absolution (confessing one’s sins and receiving forgiveness in the presence of a priest), Ordination, Marriage, and Anointing the Sick. These practices,…
On Hearing Confessions
Today, many Anglican priests receive little training in hearing confessions. Many attended seminaries rooted in evangelical or Reformed traditions, where the practice is unfamiliar. Others entered Anglicanism through churches that never emphasized it, so they have never really considered it. After my last article, I realized that it was perhaps a bit premature, for these…
