[[Spiritual Formation]] / Repentance > [!note] New - 2026-03-26 ![[assets/covers/repentance.jpg]] Repentance is a fundamental movement of the Christian life: a turning away from sin towards God that combines honest acknowledgement of wrongdoing with committed intention to change. It is not a single moment but a foundational practice at the heart of liturgical spirituality. The Prayer Book places repentance at the threshold of worship because sin must first be addressed before we can properly encounter the divine. ## Repentance as Interior Transformation Before we can be called to worship, something essential must be addressed: sin.[^bray-common-prayer-p30] The Prayer Book does not demand the performance of external conformity or recitation of formulae; it requires genuine interior transformation. True repentance moves beyond surface compliance to what the Psalmist calls ‘[[Repentance and Contrition|a broken and contrite heart]]’ (Psalm 51:17).[^bray-common-prayer-p31] This is the standard repentance must meet each day, even when the demand seems difficult to fulfil. The difficulty lies not in performing repentance but in understanding it truthfully. The Prayer Book does not encourage misery, but rather clear-eyed perception of ourselves. If we could see ourselves from sufficient distance, we would understand that we are all in fact proper objects of pity.[^bray-common-prayer-p33] This insight, drawn from C. S. Lewis, reframes repentance not as self-flagellation but as realism: the honest acknowledgement of our actual standing before God. ## Repentance as Ongoing Practice Repentance comprises two inseparable movements: sincere sorrow for sin coupled with genuine intention to turn from it and obey God.[^bray-common-prayer-p88] This is not a private or occasional sentiment but a foundational practice woven into the regular rhythm of the liturgical life. The acknowledgement of our condition (that we are, like Isaiah, unclean and unworthy; see Isaiah 6:5) becomes the necessary posture from which all genuine prayer proceeds.[^bray-common-prayer-p92] ## Repentance and Communion The invitation to Holy Communion is extended not to those who are perfect but to those who are genuinely penitent: those who truly and earnestly repent of their sins, who are in love and charity with their neighbours, and who intend to lead a new life.[^bray-common-prayer-p89] Repentance thus opens outward, connecting the individual’s relationship with God to relationships within the community and to the whole reorientation of one’s living. ## Selected passages > ‘**He** **said** **he** **was** **unclean** **and** **unworthy** (Isaiah 6:5).’ > > *How to Use the Book of Common Prayer: A Guide to the Anglican Liturgy*, p. 92 ([[data/bray-common-prayer/source-images/p92.jpg|🖼️]]) > ‘**Before** **we** **can** **even** **be** **called** **to** **worship,** **something** **has** **to** **be** **addressed:** **sin.**’ > > *How to Use the Book of Common Prayer: A Guide to the Anglican Liturgy*, p. 30 ([[data/bray-common-prayer/source-images/p30.jpg|🖼️]]) ## Appearances - *How to Use the Book of Common Prayer: A Guide to the Anglican Liturgy*, Samuel L. Bray and Drew Nathaniel Keane - 1. Preparing, pp. 30–33 - 4. Communing, pp. 88–92 ## Related [[Penitential Practice]] . [[Self-Examination]] . [[Humility and Human Unworthiness]] . [[Spiritual Formation]] . [[Sacramental Preparation]] [^bray-common-prayer-p30]: [[How to Use the Book of Common Prayer: A Guide to the Anglican Liturgy]], p. 30 ([[data/bray-common-prayer/source-images/p30.jpg|🖼️]]) . ‘**Before** **we** **can** **even** **be** **called** **to** **worship,** **something** **has** **to** **be** **addressed:** **sin.**’ [^bray-common-prayer-p31]: Ibid., p. 31 ([[data/bray-common-prayer/source-images/p31.jpg|🖼️]]) . ‘They encourage us to be honest They offer us a vision of true **repentancenot** **somcthing** **many** **external,** **just** **going** **through** **the** **motions—** **but** **”** **broken** **and** **contrite** **heart”** **(Psalm** **51:17).**’ [^bray-common-prayer-p33]: Ibid., p. 33 ([[data/bray-common-prayer/source-images/p33.jpg|🖼️]]) . ‘**The** **Prayer** **Book** **does** **not** **mean** **that** **we** **should** **feel** **mis-** **crable** **but** **that** **if** **we** **could** **see** **things** **from** **a** **sufficient** **€** **height** **above** **we** **should** **all** **realize** **that** **we** **are** **in** […]’ [^bray-common-prayer-p88]: Ibid., p. 88 ([[data/bray-common-prayer/source-images/p88.jpg|🖼️]]) . ‘This plateau (or “base camp”) ... phase emphasizes two aspects of the spiritual preparation for this ascent: **repentance,** that is, being sincerely sorry for our sin and **intending** **to** **turn** **from** **it** and obey God; and **faith,** that is, trusting in Jesus Christ as the one who […]’ [^bray-common-prayer-p92]: Ibid., p. 92 ([[data/bray-common-prayer/source-images/p92.jpg|🖼️]]) . ‘**He** **said** **he** **was** **unclean** **and** **unworthy** (Isaiah 6:5).’ [^bray-common-prayer-p89]: Ibid., p. 89 ([[data/bray-common-prayer/source-images/p89.jpg|🖼️]]) . ‘It is addressed not to those who are perfect, but to those who are penitent **(“truly** **and** **earnestly** **repent** **you** **of** **your** **sins”)** and who are committed to reconciliation with others **(“are** **in** **love** **and** **charity** **with** **your** **neighbours”)** and […]’