STANDING for prayer is one ancient and pre-medieval posture, found in the Orthodox Church, and in the BCP still the posture of the priest except for penitential prayers, the General Confessions, and the Prayer of Humble Access. It can be seen as the posture of the forgiven son or daughter of God, offering thanksgiving. And it certainly has Scriptural warrant - e.g.
Genesis 24.13, 1 Chronicles 23.27,30, Nehemiah 9.5, S.Luke 18.13 (the prayer of the publican), and S.Mark 11.25 (Jesus saying, "...when ye stand praying, forgive").
However, some are not able to stand on the one spot for any length of the time (because of labyrinthitis and ear problems, arthritis, or spurs on the feet, etc) and if "the weak go to the wall", and sit, that may make them feel excluded. Even in "modern" rites, it is suggested, everyone should kneel at least for Confession and Absolution, and be encouraged to kneel, if possible, for a time of prayer after receiving the Sacrament.
KNEELING is both an outward expression of reverence and penitence and an encouragement to reverence, and kneeling for prayer has been the Church of England's practice for about one thousand years. (Of course, for some, it is not possible because of infirmity, and on certain occasions such as a House Communion, people may well sit around
a Table, standing if desired for the Gospel and for the Consecration.) Until comparatively recent times, kneeling for prayer was widely observed in all the Protestant Churches both in public Divine Service and for private prayer (although with people being seated to receive Communion in the Church of Scotland and other Calvinist churches).
Kneeling to receive the Communion has been required by our own Church since 1552. This rule aroused Puritan opposition, and just before the 1552 Prayer Book was printed, the "Black Rubric" was inserted at the end of the Communion in many but not all copies, without the authority of Parliament or Convocation, stating that kneeling for Communion signifies "the humble and gratefull acknowledgying of the benefites of Chryst, geuen unto the woorthye receyuer". The present, official 1662 form of this rubric emphasises that kneeling to receive Communion does not imply adoration of "any corporal Presence" of Christ's natural flesh and blood, the "Sacramental Bread and Wine" remaining "still in their very natural substances", any adoration of them being idolatry.
Bishop Donald Robinson makes the point that kneeling for prayer generally is indeed
a "principle" of the Book of Common Prayer.
Certainly it has STRONG SCRIPTURAL WARRANT : e.g.
1. When Solomon finished prayer ... he arose from before the altar. 1 Kings 8.54
2. At the evening sacrifice ... I fell upon my knees. Ezra 9.5
3. O come, let us worship and fall down (ie bow down), and kneel before the Lord our Maker. Psalm 95 - the Venite - appointed to be said or sung every day in the Book of Common Prayer, the reference here indeed being to prostration (similar to that of the Muslims ? - their practice copied like some others from Christians )
4. Daniel kneeled ... three times a day, and prayed and gave thanks. Daniel 6.10
5. Peter ... kneeled down, and prayed. Acts 9.40
6. We kneeled down on the shore and prayed. Acts 21.5,
and the best example of all, that of our Lord :
7. JESUS was withdrawn from them ... and KNEELED DOWN AND PRAYED.
S.Luke 22.41.
