Days of public thanksgiving and humiliation in a secularist society

[SeanAnderson]

Days of public thanksgiving and solemn fasting are mentioned in the Westminster Standards as institutions of worship.

If these are dependent on the cooperation of the civil government with the Church, they are difficult to put into practice. Secularist countries do not officially take God's providence into account, so are unlikely to call for a day of public humiliation or thanksgiving.

Churches are therefore restricted to practise such congregational gatherings in accordance with civic vacations (with fixed dates rather than providential). Furthermore, these fixed dates often coincide with church festivals, which is not convenient for those who follow the Directory's prescription to discontinue such days.

How can days of public thanksgiving and humiliation be practised today?

 

[Peairtach]

They have often just been called by the Synod or Assembly of the denomination and are just "denomination-wide".

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[SeanAnderson]

They have often just been called by the Synod or Assembly of the denomination and are just "denomination-wide".

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Do members take days off work for such occasions, or do they happen in the evenings?

 

[Peairtach]

If there on working days, I don't remember members taking days off work. It's quite some time since I remember my denomination, or previous denomination having a day of "humiliation and prayer".