02/15/2026
A Prayer of Confession for the American Church
Lord of Hosts,
King of Kings and Lord of Lords,
in whose light we see light,
Send out your light and your truth;
Let them lead us to your holy hill.
Expose the darkness that we refuse to acknowledge,
We have been unwilling to examine our ways.
We have exchanged your truth for the truth that the empire speaks.
As in Isaiah’s day, we have made a covenant with death.
We have made lies our refuge
and in falsehood have taken shelter.
We have put on the raiment of empire
rather than clothing ourselves with Christ.
We have allowed the principalities and powers to define our priorities. Our thinking. Our identity. And our faith.
We have been seduced by the empire’s insidious truths, which claim that:
• Aggression brings peace through strength, and American violence is righteous violence.
• Greed is good, the wealthy deserve more wealth,
and excessive consumption keeps the economy afloat,
• Bullying, arrogance, and insults are tools of statecraft,
• Character and integrity in leaders matter less than our vested political interests.
We have been complicit with the empire by:
• Stopping our ears to the cries of the impoverished and oppressed.
• Keeping our peace as the immigrant is demeaned, terrorized, and removed.
• Accepting facile excuses for the regime’s racist rhetoric and acts.
• Looking the other way as the regime plunders our nation’s wealth.
• Allowing religious hucksters to hijack our Faith.
• Voicing outrage but doing little.
We have proclaimed a false Christ, who
• Calls followers to win a culture war.
• Looks for defenders instead of disciples.
• Answers anger with anger.
• Responds to violence with violence.
• Rejects fellowship with sinners but attends breakfast with the elite.
• Blesses those who twist Scripture for nefarious ends.
• Serves the aims and policies of the American empire.
Forgive us for profaning the Christ whom we follow, and for our unholy embrace of the idols of wealth, power, and self-worship.
Remove our heart of stone and replace it with a heart of flesh.
Grant us the courage to look at ourselves as we truly are.
Free us to love God with all our being and without rival:
• to love our bruised neighbors as ourselves,
• to pray for those who see us as enemies,
• to love our brothers and sisters with humility and grace,
• and to love our country by holding it accountable to its ideals and aspirations.
Beckon us toward the narrow way.
Keep us from the broad way.
So may we glorify the Christ who gave his life for the sins of the world,
and in whose name we pray,
Amen
Dan Hawk
