Reconciliation

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sarahq

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Hi everybody,
I’m wondering – do other churches have confession/reconciliation? How similar to the Catholic Church are they?

God bless
Sarah
 
The Orthodox Churches have the Mystery of Confession. It is quite similar to confession in the Roman Catholic Churches; however, it does done face-to-face, and when the priest pronounces absolution, he does so with his epitrachelion draped over the kneeling penitent. Also, the formula of absolution is different, but does invoke the Trinity.

As for the Protestant communions, some of them have a rite of confession, including Anglicans and Lutherans.
 
But the theology is generally different for those Anglicans and Lutherans who practice it. It’s usually seen more as a pastoral practice to assure the penitent of the forgiveness by God that they already have through faith and repentance, not as a sacramental absolution. Thus there is an Anglican saying regarding whether someone should go to confession that goes something like “all may, none must, some should.”
 
I know my mother is Lutheran and she goes to ‘Confession’. I also know it’s not considered necessary. I quizzed her about what goes on and she swears it is just like a Catholic confession (although she’s never been to Catholic confession).
 
For Anglicans, the “Rite of Reconciliation” is in the Book of Common Prayer, but it is optional. When I was an Episcopalian, I used to frequently (four or five times a year) do a confession with a priest. Absolution is part of the rite.

The rite is spelled-out in great detail, and there are two different forms. One begins, Bless me, for I have sinned," the other with the recitation of a Psalm. Both are beautifully written.

Some Episcopal Churches (Anglo-Catholic) have confessionals, but often it is done face-to-face. The priest always wears his stole when hearing a confession. In traditional Anglican practice, it is done at the altar rail, the priest, in vestments, sitting with his back to the penitent. He stands, and turns to face the kneeling penitent to pronounce absolution, both making the sign of the cross.

A layperson can hear a confession, but may not grant absolution. He may make a declaration of absolution: Our Lord Jesus Christ, who offered himself to be sacrificed
for us to the Father, forgives your sins by the grace of the
Holy Spirit. Amen.

I can’t speak for other Protestant denominations. When discussing Lutherans, one must be careful to make a distinction as to which denomination of Lutherans. I believe some of them have strong objections to oral confession.
 
sarahq said:
Hi everybody,
I’m wondering – do other churches have confession/reconciliation? How similar to the Catholic Church are they?

God bless
Sarah
Click to expand...
I was attending a conference that happened to be using the hall attached to a large Methodist church in San Antonio. I noticed on the bulletin board an announcement about the value of confessing sins to another person, sort of an “accountability partner” (yes the word sin was used) and the hours the minister would be available by appointment for this, as well as a coming talk on the spiritual benefits of confession. Note that only a church with priests in full apostolic succession have the authority from Christ to Absolve sins.
 
martininthefiel said:
I can’t speak for other Protestant denominations. When discussing Lutherans, one must be careful to make a distinction as to which denomination of Lutherans. I believe some of them have strong objections to oral confession.
Click to expand...
Ah, that’s a good point. I had forgotten that they’ve splintered so much that they aren’t a united force anymore when it comes to what is practiced and what isn’t.

I am uncertain which branch of Lutheran my mother is. 🤷
 
This is the wording from the Book of Common Prayer:

The Priest then pronounces this absolution

Our Lord Jesus Christ, who has left power to his Church to
absolve all sinners who truly repent and believe in him, of
his great mercy forgive you all your offenses; and by his
authority committed to me, I absolve you from all your sins:
In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy
Spirit. Amen.

or this

Our Lord Jesus Christ, who offered himself to be sacrificed
for us to the Father, and who conferred power on his Church
to forgive sins, absolve you through my ministry by the grace
of the Holy Spirit, and restore you in the perfect peace of
the Church. Amen.

The Priest adds

The Lord has put away all your sins.

Penitent Thanks be to God.

So the view, theologically speaking, is the almost the same.

However, Anglicans Holy Orders are not valid according to the Catholic Church.

The question of Apostolic succession is an interesting one. The Episcopal Church claims such, but Pope Leo XIII declared their Holy Orders null.

I’ll defer to the Catholic Church on this subject.
 
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