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On Prayer

Tertullian

Chapter 23

About this work

Author: Tertullian

Chapter XXIII.—Of Kneeling.

In the matter of kneeling also prayer is subject to diversity of observance

‹ Chapter 22 Chapter 24 ›

,

through

the

act

of

some

few

who

abstain

from

kneeling

on

the

Sabbath

;

and

since

this

dissension

is

particularly

on

its

trial

before

the

churches

,

the

Lord

will

give

His

grace

that

the

dissentients

may

either

yield

,

or

else

indulge

their

opinion

without

offence

to

others

.

We

,

however

(

just

as

we

have

received

)

,

only

on

the

day

of

the

Lord’s

Resurrection

ought

to

guard

not

only

against

kneeling

,

but

every

posture

and

office

of

solicitude

;

deferring

even

our

businesses

lest

we

give

any

place

to

the

devil

.

Similarly

,

too

,

in

the

period

of

Pentecost

;

which

period

we

distinguish

by

the

same

solemnity

of

exultation

.

But

who

would

hesitate

every

day

to

prostrate

himself

before

God

,

at

least

in

the

first

prayer

with

which

we

enter

on

the

daylight

?

At

fasts

,

moreover

,

and

Stations

,

no

prayer

should

be

made

without

kneeling

,

and

the

remaining

customary

marks

of

humility

;

for

(

then

)

we

are

not

only

praying

,

but

deprecating

,

and

making

satisfaction

to

God

our

Lord

.

Touching

times

of

prayer

nothing

at

all

has

been

prescribed

,

except

clearly

“

to

pray

at

every

time

and

every

place

.

”

Notes

1
Eph. iv. 27.
2
i.e. abstaining from kneeling: kneeling being more “a posture of solicitude” and of humility; standing, of “exultation.”
3
i.e. at fasts and Stations. [Sabbath = Saturday, supra.]
4
For the meaning of “satisfaction” as used by the Fathers, see Hooker, Eccl. Pol. vi. 5.
5
Eph. vi. 18; 1 Thess. v. 17; 1 Tim. ii. 8.