Protestants rail against a very important spiritual weapon?

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a_priori

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When I was an evangelical for 25 years I was repeatedly taught and believed that confession to a priest was needless and not “biblical”. I also taught this in the various Bible studies that I was involved in. I eventually left that world for Eastern Orthodoxy and am now coming home to Catholicism.

Confessing sin to God is obviously good in any situation. But there is no comparison between doing it in the privacy of one’s bedroom and confessing to a priest who stands, not as a judge and executioner, but rather an instrument of God’s love.

The sense of release and empowerment along with accountability that comes with confession in the presence of a priest is astounding. If you want victory over sin and a sense that you are part of something greater than yourself, confess to God in the presence of a real person (priest) who comes alongside in love to help.

I wish I’d known this years ago when I believed a strawman version of the Sacrament of Reconciliation (Confession).

But I know now. Amen.
 
a_priori said:
When I was an evangelical for 25 years I was repeatedly taught and believed that confession to a priest was needless and not “biblical”. I also taught this in the various Bible studies that I was involved in. I eventually left that world for Eastern Orthodoxy and am now coming home to Catholicism.

Confessing sin to God is obviously good in any situation. But there is no comparison between doing it in the privacy of one’s bedroom and confessing to a priest who stands, not as a judge and executioner, but rather an instrument of God’s love.

The sense of release and empowerment along with accountability that comes with confession in the presence of a priest is astounding. If you want victory over sin and a sense that you are part of something greater than yourself, confess to God in the presence of a real person (priest) who comes alongside in love to help.

I wish I’d known this years ago when I believed a strawman version of the Sacrament of Reconciliation (Confession).

But I know now. Amen.
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Praise da lawd!!! :extrahappy:

Sadly, a lot of Catholics, not having been brought up to regularly make use of this sacrament, are also missing out big-time 😦
 
You know before they had the private confessional doctrine in the Catholic Church, confession of sins was basically getting up and confessing your sins in front of a whole congregation, and also doing penance for them. Sound familiar doesn’t it? it’s basically what protestants do in general, yet they will refuse to admit it publicly… They them selfs in fact practice Confession!

Of cause the Catholic church eventually realized that this could be used by unsavory people against a person and indoctrinated that it be made “private” confessional to protect a person from others they may not trust unlike their priest(who they would have to trust with their private information, but better only 1 clergyman than a whole congregation of laypeople), giving it the same degree of privacy that exists between a Doctor and a Patient whilst keeping up the requirement that at least 1 third party be present while you confess to God.

Yet the protestant churches refuse to admit they often do practice Confessional in the way the Catholic Church used to do it.
 
I find this discussion somewhat comical since in 3 different churches–1 Methodist, 1-Presbyterian and 1-Lutheran just in the past year I have read or heard invitations issued to the congregation to confess, in a formal setting their sins to the pastor and receive pastoral counselling, and seen workshops for pastors to prepare them for this ministry. However nowhere did I see that absolution is mentioned. confession without absolution–what a joke. It is like going to the dentist, enduring the drilling and pain, but not having the cavity filled.
 
puzzleannie said:
I find this discussion somewhat comical since in 3 different churches–1 Methodist, 1-Presbyterian and 1-Lutheran just in the past year I have read or heard invitations issued to the congregation to confess, in a formal setting their sins to the pastor and receive pastoral counselling, and seen workshops for pastors to prepare them for this ministry. However nowhere did I see that absolution is mentioned. confession without absolution–what a joke. It is like going to the dentist, enduring the drilling and pain, but not having the cavity filled.
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It’s almost like going on “Oprah” as opposed to going to “Dr. Phil”…

“Dr. Phil” being the Catholic and “Oprah” being the protestant.

As much as I like Oprah and her compassion, Dr. Phil’s the real medical professional!
:yup:
 
LilyM said:
Sadly, a lot of Catholics, not having been brought up to regularly make use of this sacrament, are also missing out big-time 😦
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So it’s possible that many Catholics have no more understanding of Reconciliation than Protestants do? As one just coming out of RCIA that seems odd to me. But I’m just now getting acclimated.
 
a_priori said:
So it’s possible that many Catholics have no more understanding of Reconciliation than Protestants do? As one just coming out of RCIA that seems odd to me. But I’m just now getting acclimated.
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Sounds awful, but true. Most of us cradle Catholics are given a little instruction on the sacrament (suitably geared for the understanding and comprehension of children) prior to making our first confessions and that is almost literally all.

Little if any mention of confession from the pulpit, for example, or at least nothing in any kind of detail.
 
Brief hijack:

Lily,

The picture in your signature startled me, for lack of a better expression. I can’t explain it, but I was lazily reading this thread, minding my own business and that picture…well it’s powerful. Is that Mary and Jesus?

I feel so weird.

Hijack over:
 
a_priori said:
So it’s possible that many Catholics have no more understanding of Reconciliation than Protestants do? As one just coming out of RCIA that seems odd to me. But I’m just now getting acclimated.
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You will unfortunately encounter this quite a bit. It is sad, but many Catholics don’t take it upon themselves to learn about their own faith. I tell you this so that you won’t get discouraged, it is hard when you are so on fire with the faith, coming out of RCIA, only to have other Catholics tell you that you don’t need to do this or believe that.

I’m so happy though that you get so much out of confession! Bless you!!
 
Curious said:
Brief hijack:

Lily,

The picture in your signature startled me, for lack of a better expression. I can’t explain it, but I was lazily reading this thread, minding my own business and that picture…well it’s powerful. Is that Mary and Jesus?

I feel so weird.

Hijack over:
Click to expand...
Yes - its the Magadanskaya (Mother of God of Magadan) by Fr William McNicols, who has indeed done some extraordinary work … I have another one I’ll put in on Easter which is one of my favourites.

Here is a larger version:

http://puffin.creighton.edu/jesuit/andre/images/magadan.gif

And here is a website where you can find out more about him and his work
 
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