Are Catholics the only Christians that make the sign of the cross before prayer?

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Jon how many Lutherans in general avail themselves to private confession as opposed to the general public confession in the worship service?

I converted from the Episcopal chruch which offers private confession, but it is rarely made use of. In fact general confession is being used less and less. Another reason I converted.
 
No. Orthodox and Oriental Orthodox do it as well, in a slightly different way (different hand positions* in all three communions, and both of the Orthodox go head-chest-right-left). I’ve also seen Lutherans and Anglicans/Episcopalians make the Symbol with an open hand (as some/many Catholics do). I’ve never seen anyone descended from the Reformed/Baptist/Calvinist/Zwinglian etc. (“Protestant Protestants”) traditions make the sign. I don’t know about Methodists.

*Either thumb-index-middle joined for the Trinity with the ring and small folded for the Hypostatic Union, or ring-small-thumb joined for the Trinity, and the crucis made with pointer-ring outstretched for the Hypostatic Union. I’ve seen Catholics do it with just “the hand” (no special finger position), but I still use that of the Orthodox (small and ring folded; I appreciate the symbolism of Trinity and Hypostatic Union joined, as opposed to the comparative crudeness of just an open hand) but do go head-chest-left-right now
 
andrewstx said:
Jon how many Lutherans in general avail themselves to private confession as opposed to the general public confession in the worship service?

I converted from the Episcopal chruch which offers private confession, but it is rarely made use of. In fact general confession is being used less and less. Another reason I converted.
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The Episcopal Faith is running to the gates of Hell faster than any other that I’ve seen or heard of, except for the “liberal ‘Catholic’” ecclesiastical community, which is Episcopalianism by any other name. Some of the older “mainstream” liberal Protestant churches are hot on the Episcopalians’ heels.

I’d rather have a fundamentalist who hates Rome, than a liberal who is friendly to Rome but denies Scripture (and maybe even God), denies creation, resurrects old Christological heresies, is absolutely relativistic and “inclusivist”, has Imams in the church to lead “interfaith prayer services”, is latitudinarian, “marries” homosexuals, ordains females to whatever kind of preachership they have (i.e. Episcopalians, compare John Shelby Spong).

Note, I only speak of the “normal” Episcopal Faith Community USA and to a lesser degree the established Anglican Church, not of Continuing Anglicans or others who attempt to retain some form of Christianity in their religion.

It’s hard to determine whether normal Episcopalianism (not Anglo-Catholicism or Continuing Anglicanism, but average Episcopalianism, as represented by the popular authors and representatives of that tradition on the popular and academic levels, cf. again John Shelby Spong) is any more Christian than Jehovah’s Witnessism or Mormonism is, anymore, especially at the educated level (cf. yet again John Shelby Spong: I’m sure on the average layman level most believe in the Trinity, God, Atonement, Scripture, etc.), where it seems to be replaying the early American Unitarian heresy all over again, garbed in the postmodern postchristian “multicultural” inclusivist pluralism of early 21st century liberal American academia.
 
Khalid said:
The Episcopal Church is running to the gates of Hell faster than any other that I’ve seen or heard of, except for the “liberal ‘Catholic’” ecclesiastical community, which is Episcopalianism by any other name. Some of the older “mainstream” liberal Protestant churches are hot on the Episcopalians’ heels.

I’d rather have a fundamentalist who hates Rome, than a liberal who is friendly to Rome but denies Scripture (and maybe even God), denies creation, resurrects old Christological heresies, is absolutely relativistic and “inclusivist”, has Imams in the church to lead “interfaith prayer services”, is latitudinarian, “marries” homosexuals, ordains females to whatever kind of preachership they have (i.e. Episcopalians, compare John Shelby Spong).
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Khalid,

Seriously misinformed and offensive post. There are many conservative Anglo Catholics in the Episcopal Church; and we hold beliefs very similar to those of the Catholic Church.

Peace,
Anna
 
Anna_Scott said:
Khalid,

Seriously misinformed and offensive post. There are many conservative Anglo Catholics in the Episcopal Church; and we hold beliefs very similar to those of the Catholic Church.

Peace,
Anna
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Added addendum to the post to clarify it. You know the kind I was speaking about as well as I do.
 
Anna_Scott said:
Khalid,

Seriously misinformed and offensive post. There are many conservative Anglo Catholics in the Episcopal Church; and we hold beliefs very similar to those of the Catholic Church.

Peace,
Anna
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I second that.

I left the Episcopal Church for a variety of reasons, but I also found that post misinformed and offensive.

Bp. Spong is not representative of Anglican thought. Even if he were, the statement would be offensive.
 
andrewstx said:
Jon how many Lutherans in general avail themselves to private confession as opposed to the general public confession in the worship service?

I converted from the Episcopal chruch which offers private confession, but it is rarely made use of. In fact general confession is being used less and less. Another reason I converted.
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Its a mixed bag, at least here in America, but certainly not with the frequency that Catholics do.
 
JonNC said:
Its a mixed bag, at least here in America, but certainly not with the frequency that Catholics do.
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I suspect that this is due to a couple of beliefs – (1) that individual confession is what Catholics do and thus should not be done, and (2) that private confession has not been a requirement for Lutherans, at least not in my experience. For those who read this, my first point is not something I believe but there are many who disdain anything that seems “too Catholic.”
 
Khalid said:
The Episcopal Faith is running to the gates of Hell faster than any other that I’ve seen or heard of, except for the “liberal ‘Catholic’” ecclesiastical community, which is Episcopalianism by any other name. Some of the older “mainstream” liberal Protestant churches are hot on the Episcopalians’ heels.

I Agree…
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gcnuss said:
I suspect that this is due to a couple of beliefs – (1) that individual confession is what Catholics do and thus should not be done, and (2) that private confession has not been a requirement for Lutherans, at least not in my experience. For those who read this, my first point is not something I believe but there are many who disdain anything that seems “too Catholic.”
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At my LC-MS church, which is a liturgical church, the pastors are encouraging the people to make the sign of the cross as a result more and more are making it during the service. The key is the pastor teaching the people why it should be done.
 
In the East the sign of the cross is done whenever God is mentioned.
 
ConstantineTG said:
In the East the sign of the cross is done whenever God is mentioned.
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Or really whenever one feels like it. 😃

I sometimes am not sure that the flailing motion some Greeks perform can really be called the sign of the cross, but at the same time, I do admire somebody who can cross himself three times in a second.
 
gcnuss said:
I suspect that this is due to a couple of beliefs – (1) that individual confession is what Catholics do and thus should not be done, and (2) that private confession has not been a requirement for Lutherans, at least not in my experience. For those who read this, my first point is not something I believe but there are many who disdain anything that seems “too Catholic.”
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Hi Pastor,
Correct on both counts. On the first, a brief read of the Catechism would, of course, dispell that myth. And I’ve often pondered whether promoting the practice in preparation for confirmation would be a worthy endeavor.
What do you and hn think of that idea?

Jon
 
Khalid said:
It’s hard to determine whether normal Episcopalianism (not Anglo-Catholicism or Continuing Anglicanism, but average Episcopalianism, as represented by…
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I’m glad you qualified that because there are very conservative Episcopal churches that remain solidly conservative and Biblical. It’s a shame there aren’t more of them. They certainly have my respect.
 
Cavaradossi said:
Or really whenever one feels like it. 😃

I sometimes am not sure that the flailing motion some Greeks perform can really be called the sign of the cross, but at the same time, I do admire somebody who can cross himself three times in a second.
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Oh, my stepfather, who is not Greek, just makes a quick circle around the area of his face and chest with his forefinger. Funniest thing you ever saw.
 
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