Confession past and present

[DL82]

Just a quick question - from things I have read when I studied history, and from what I can remember of the religious traditions mentioned in Chaucer, and from what I know from being a Protestant of Catholic practice at the time of Luther and Calvin - it seems that confession used to be very different.

First, because a priest would not be convinced you had true contrition for your sins unless you were in tears.

Second, because if you relapsed into the same sin, again the priest would probably have withheld absolution for some time to make sure you had really repented and weren’t going to sin again.

Third, because physical penances, which could be as severe as 7 years of fasting on bread and water for some serious sins, were frequently imposed.

Is the Church getting soft in its’ old age?

 

[otjm]

No. It is getting back to a Gospel understanding of the Sacrament. Go read the Gospels; christ did not impose such things on forgiving someone; why should the Church?

 

[puzzleannie]

never heard of your 1st and 2nd propositions, and number 3 was for notorious public sinners, like the emperor who defied the pope.

 

[Margita]

First, because a priest would not be convinced you had true contrition for your sins unless you were in tears.

Second, because if you relapsed into the same sin, again the priest would probably have withheld absolution for some time to make sure you had really repented and weren’t going to sin again.

Third, because physical penances, which could be as severe as 7 years of fasting on bread and water for some serious sins, were frequently imposed.

Where is any of these in Chaucer? And where do the others come from?

As for fasting: it is not the Church that is becoming softer, it is people in general. Honestly, how many people would be willing to fast 7 days on bread and water today? Not putting unbearable burdens on people’s shoulders is not becoming soft.