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In reformed churches it is an element of worship. It would fit well in the liturgy after the reading of the law.
In reformed churches it is an element of worship. It would fit well in the liturgy after the reading of the law.
By reformed do you mean dutch?
There is a difference between a corporate public confession of sin, and the public confession of sins by an individual member. The former is an element of worship. The latter is not.
I am only speculating but in the PCA our church discipline in done after the worship service and in the presence of members only. I am assuming that it would be the appropriate time for individual members to publically confess their sin. Great question.
Two people have asked to Publically Confess their sin before the Church.
What would be the process of handling this? Do it before or after worship I assume? I don't think you would do it during, it is not an element of worship.
There is no official church discipline in this case. These two people voluntarily have requested to confess their sins publicly.
There is no official church discipline in this case. These two people voluntarily have requested to confess their sins publicly.
In that case, in de (Dutch) reformed tradition, it is not a element of public worship.
The only case where it would be an element of public worship if it was because of the official labours of the church (consistory) which of its nature necessitated the public confession of sin, which would not happen unless the consistory as a whole deemed it necessarily, with the advice of 2 neighboring consistories or the classis.
If members deem it necessarily, for whatever reason, to confess their guilt publicly, outside of the work of the consistory...
I would discourage them doing so publicly, and advice them to approach the parties that were aggrieved by their sin privately.
I am only speculating but in the PCA our church discipline in done after the worship service and in the presence of members only. I am assuming that it would be the appropriate time for individual members to publically confess their sin. Great question.
There is no official church discipline in this case. These two people voluntarily have requested to confess their sins publicly.
Two people have asked to Publically Confess their sin before the Church.
What would be the process of handling this? Do it before or after worship I assume? I don't think you would do it during, it is not an element of worship.
Andrew -
I would only support someone's desire to publically confess their sin before the church if their sin was BOTH against the body in general and publically known by the congregation.
Even then I'd suggest doing it in a venue other than Sunday morning worship. The reason being that at no other time are you more likely to have visitors than during Sunday morning worship... And while some visitors may be charitable of spirit and appreciate seeing the public confession... others, many others, will go out and talk about whatever offense was mentioned. In other words, don't air your dirty laundry in front of outsiders.