Cranmer intended the prayer of confession to be ‘stand alone’ and not part of the other prayers of the congregation.  He wanted people to learn that from our hearts come those things that cause us to sin.  ‘Heart’ was a key word for Cranmer.  Only by the transforming work of the Holy Spirit could we live the redeemed life and only by resting on the work of Christ on the cross could we have the assurance of the forgiveness of sins. 

These are vital truths, and Cranmer knew that we learn them when they we acknowledge them regularly when we meet together. 

I’d like to see congregations saying such prayers regularly, although, in my view, there is a good argument not to have such a prayer every single time we meet. We don’t want people to get the idea that a prayer of confession is an essential rite without which we are not forgiven. 

I’d also suggest such a prayer be used at different times in the meeting: sometimes as a response to the Bible Talk, sometimes early on (as found in Cranmer’s Morning and Evening Prayer), sometimes before sharing in the Lord’s Supper (again following Cranmer) and sometimes in response to a Bible Reading. 

Such prayers ought to convey how serious our sin is and a request God enable us to live a godly life in response to his mercy (as Cranmer’s prayers did).  The language ought to be personal, not perfunctory.  Again, Cranmer achieved this with language like: ‘remembrance of them (our sins) is grievous unto us; The burden of them is intolerable.’  Many modern prayers of confession lack this, and that means they can sound inauthentic. 

Finally, when not using a prayer of confession, it is good to remember the Lord’s Prayer also contains a petition requesting forgiveness, and saying the Lord’s Prayer sometimes, even though it is essentially a model prayer, can be very helpful.

<Doesn’t the absence of a corporate prayer confession flow from an understanding that Christians do not gather for a worship service but meet for mutual encouragement and teaching?>

I don’t think so, Gary.  I don’t believe the way to descibe why we gather together is to ‘worship God’ or to engage in ‘corporate worship’ but I do believe that God is in our midst as we meet and that we meet as those who are saved by his mercy, rely on his mercy, and need his mercy.  We can only ever have access to him through his Son because the Lord Jesus is our mediator and the one who laid down his life as our substitute ransom for our sins.

I think the reason as to why prayers of confession are now rare is because we tend to downplay sin, judgment and the Lordship of Jesus Christ.  That I think is the culprit.

Do you know where I can pick up a copy in actual real book form of the one you used in your Anglican church growing up?

So why do you think we’ve stopped confessing our sins publicly? My own theory, for what it is worth, is that there is a part of us that can’t really believe that we’re as bad

I quite like how Calvin puts it

For (such is our innate pride) we always seem to ourselves just, and upright, and wise, and holy, until we are convinced, by clear evidence, of our injustice, vileness, folly, and impurity. Convinced, however, we are not, if we look to ourselves only, and not to the Lord also - He being the only standard by the application of which this conviction can be produced. For, since we are all naturally prone to hypocrisy, any empty semblance of righteousness is quite enough to satisfy us instead of righteousness itself.

So, regular confession, in whatever form such as prayer, response, creed, Bible talk, song, at church, in small groups, by yourself, etc, is essential to remind us of how broken we are and lead us to cry out “Lord, have mercy on me, a sinner”.

At the church where I newly serve as pastor (in the U.S.), I’ve just recently begun including prayers of confession into our Sunday morning gatherings. Suffice it to say, the response has been mixed, with most people equating a liturgy which includes confession of sin as a part of their Lutheran (where I live, regrettably liberal) upbringing. Sadly, most American Christians simply aren’t used to such public confession of sin (which Platinga’s book Not the Way it’s Supposed to Be: A Breviary of Sin makes painfully clear).

Gordon, you made the comment: I don’t believe the way to describe why we gather together is to ‘worship God’ or to engage in ‘corporate worship’ but I do believe that God is in our midst as we meet and that we meet as those who are saved by his mercy, rely on his mercy, and need his mercy.”

I realize it’s not directly related to this post’s topic, but might you briefly elaborate on how you would describe why you gather with God’s people on Sunday mornings (or whatever time you meet)?

I realize it’s not directly related to this post’s topic, but might you briefly elaborate on how you would describe why you gather with God’s people on Sunday mornings (or whatever time you meet)?

May I recommend the article on church and worship in the Briefing, no 237?

Tony Payne and Don Carson discuss the issue you have raised.  Don Carson argues: ‘But the locus of worship in the Old Testament was bound up in the cultic system; in the New Testament it is bound up with offering all of our lives all the time to God.’ ‘We are constantly in the presence of the Lord.’ (Romans 12:1-2, Hebrews 12, Ephesians. Moreover, we now worship ‘in Spirit and in truth’ (John 4), and, in context, this supersedes debate over where one worships.  The priestly worship/ ministry of the Apostle Paul is evangelism. 

Now Carson wants to keep the term worship for church and call it corporate worship.  But Tony Payne argues convincingly, in my opinion, thast the theological category of worship is not used by the New Testament writers in describing church.  The worship terminology has at its heart bowing down before and in the presence of God.  When we are in heaven, then,(but not now) as we read in Revelation 4-5, we will fall on our faces in such worship, but in this age we worship God all the time as those in whom the Spirit of Christ dwells all the time.

Hi Warren
You are right about it being challenging and exhausting!

I find it helpful if I seek to answer the question from scripture: What do the scriptures teach about the gathering of Christians? I just start with a blank piece of paper and write down everything I can find in the Bible that answers that question.

My understanding is that when we gather it is about God blessing us through the sharing of the gifts that our Father has so generously given to his people. He is blessing us. Gathering is about God coming to us rather than our response at that time…  he speaks to us through scripture, using teachers, pastors and so on and we encourage and exhort one another with the gifts each of us has to serve others with. We teach each other, remind each other to repent, help each other to keep on submitting to God and to not give up, for it is a difficult and evil age.

We may be suffering, we may be being tempted to live for the treasures of this world, we may be confused…so our Father so very kindly gives gifts to us to share to build each other up in Christ.

It’s like all the gifted people around us have been given by God to serve us…and so us for them and all and the body grows in in love.
(From Ephesians)

Perhaps we could say we are being equipped to worship!!

Di

Help! A SMALL BUT IMPORTANT CORRECTION.

I believe God is there and not coming to us…..

Andrew, your comments are very thought provoking in a helpful way!

I would make two comments: I think in Cranmer’s mind he wanted to make the point that even as Christians we remain corrupted by sin inwardly (what the reformers meant by Concupiscence).  As a consequence the confession is always worded very strongly. 
However, the confession is accompanied by the prayers of absolution, which, in my view, deal with the issue you have raised. They make it clear that Christians can have the ongoing full assurance of the forgiveness of sins and the enabling of the Spirit to live new lives.

All that said, some of the newer confessions produced by Sydney have included wording like: ‘We praise you for adopting us as your children and making us heirs of eternal life.  In your mercy you have washed us from our sins and made us clean in your sight.  Yet…  and the confession of sin follows.