An investigation into the phenomena and practices of spiritual ...

formulae are said by everyone to each other. Each person repeats the words as they lookaround the congregation with a smile. It is important that there is eye contact with somemembers of the congregation when the grace is being said. The instruction is that thegrace is said to each other. It is therefore not explained why some members of thecongregation may say the grace with their eyes closed. What is more bizarre is wheremembers of the congregation say the peace or the grace to someone that they are inconflict with and continue the conflict, as explained in the section on dispute and fissionin chapter 5.The minister of the URC says the prayer of forgiveness and with his authority says thesins of the congregation have been forgiven, yet members of congregation may not beable to accept this statement of forgiveness. In COGIC, forgiveness is not declared by theminister; people can only seegiveness and „healing‟ through their own atonementwith God by genuinely repenting of their sin.This approach is less likely to encourage individual forgiveness and healing, although theforgiveness approach to the ritual of confession that is practised by the Catholic priestsmay have a similar effect for those who believe that the minister can declare forgiveness.The doctrine of COGIC does not teach the members to accept that the minister candeclare forgiveness. They believe that forgiveness can only be granted by God afterconfession of sins to God.257