In theLutheran Church,Confession (also calledHoly Absolution) is thesacrament given by Christ to the Church by which individual men and women may receive the forgiveness of sins.[1][2] According to theLarge Catechism, the third sacrament of Holy Absolution is related to HolyBaptism.[3][4]
In the Lutheran Churches, theOffice of the Keys exercised through confession and absolution is the "authority which Christ has given to His Church on earth: toforgive the sins of the penitent sinners, but to retain the sins of the impenitent as long as they do not repent."[5][6]
The Lutheran Church practices "Confession and Absolution" [referred to as the Office of the Keys] with the emphasis on the absolution, which is God's word of forgiveness. Indeed, Lutherans highly regard Holy Absolution. They, like Roman Catholics, seeJames 5:16 andJohn 20:22–23 as biblical evidence for confession.[7] Confession and absolution is done in private to the pastor, called the "confessor" with the person confessing known as the "penitent". In confession, the penitent makes anact of contrition, as the pastor, actingin persona Christi, announces the formula of absolution. Prior to the confession, the penitent is to review theTen Commandments toexamine his or her conscience.[8]
In the Lutheran Church, like the Roman Catholic Church, the pastor is bound by theSeal of the Confessional.Luther's Small Catechism says "the pastor is pledged not to tell anyone else of sins to him in private confession, for those sins have been removed." If the Seal is broken, it will result inexcommunication.[7] At the present time, it is, for example, expected before partaking of theEucharist for thefirst time.[9][10][11] It is also encouraged to be done frequently in a year[12] (specifically before Easter). In many churches, times are set for the pastor to hear confessions.[13][14]
Lutheranism has not been dogmatic regarding the number of sacraments, with theApology of the Augsburg Confession teaching that "No intelligent person will quibble about the number of sacraments or the terminology, so long as those things are kept which have God's command and promises."[16] As such, the number of sacraments named by Lutherans varies based on the denomination and locality. Lutherans generally speak of three sacraments, including baptism, eucharist, and confession.[1][2] In line with Luther's initial statement inhis Large Catechism, some Lutherans speak of two dominical sacraments,[17] Baptism and the Eucharist, although later in the same work he calls Confession and Absolution "the third sacrament."[18][19] The definition of sacrament in theApology of the Augsburg Confession lists Absolution as one of them.[20] Luther went toconfession all his life.[21] Certain Lutheran denominations do name seven sacraments: Holy Baptism, Holy Eucharist, Holy Confession and Absolution, Holy Orders, Holy Matrimony, Holy Confirmation, and Holy Unction. Although most Lutherans do not consider the other four rites (Holy Orders, Holy Matrimony, Holy Confirmation, and Holy Unction) as sacraments, they are still retained and used in all Lutheran Churches. Regardless of the enumeration, all seven of these are celebrated in Lutheran Churches.[22][23]
In mainstream Lutheranism, the faithful often receive the sacrament of penance from a Lutheran priest before receiving theEucharist.[10][11] Prior to going to Confessing and receiving Absolution, the faithful are expected to examine their lives in light of theTen Commandments.[24] The order of Confession and Absolution is contained in theSmall Catechism, as well as other liturgical books of the Lutheran Churches.[24] The sacrament of confession can variously take place in aconfessional, reconciliation room, or atcommunion rails, all during which Lutherans confess their sins. At the same time, the confessor—a Lutheran priest—listens and then offers absolution, which may include the laying of theirstole on the penitent's head.[24] Clergy are prohibited from revealing anything said during private Confession and Absolution per theSeal of the Confessional, and faceexcommunication if it is violated. InLaestadian Lutheranism penitent sinners, in accordance with the doctrine of thepriesthood of all believers, practicelay confession, "confess[ing] their transgressions to other church members, who can then absolve the penitent."[25]
In his 1529 catechisms,Martin Luther praised confession (before a pastor or a fellow Christian) "for the sake ofabsolution", the forgiveness of sins bestowed in an audible, concrete way.[26] The Lutheran reformers held that a complete enumeration of sins is impossible[27] and that one's confidence of forgiveness is not to be based on the sincerity of one's contrition nor on one's doing works of satisfaction imposed by the confessor (penance).[28] The Roman Catholic church held confession to be composed of three parts:contritio cordis ("contrition of the heart"),confessio oris ("confession of the mouth"), andsatisfactio operis ("satisfaction of deeds").[29] The Lutheran reformers abolished the "satisfaction of deeds," holding that confession and absolution consist of onlytwo parts: the confession of the penitent and the absolution spoken by the confessor.[30] Faith and trust inJesus' complete active and passive satisfaction is what receives the forgiveness and salvation won by him and imparted to the penitent by the word of absolution.
Unitl that final revelation of the church, when it will be revealed to be what the apostles have said it is, the church proclaims the gospel and administers the sacraments (especially baptism, the Lord's Supper [also called Holy Communion or the Eucharist], and Holy Absolution [the formal proclamation of the forgiveness of sins)—all for the sake of calling people to faith, hope, and love and keeping them united with Christ and with one anothe rin the one church of Christ. And where the gospel is proclaimed and the sacraments administered in accord with that gospel, there the church truly is. Indeed, the Holy Spirit acts through the word and the sacraments, in Luther's phrase, "to call, gather, enlighten, and sanctify the whole Christian churchon earth" (the church is not a Platonic reality) and keep it united to Christ. Because of the power of the Spirit to create and preserve the church, even the gates of hell cannot prevail against it (Mt. 16.18).
...generally in the Lutheran Christian tradition we speak of three sacraments.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) Retrieved 2010-02-02.In the Lutheran Church, private confession was at firstvoluntary. Later, in portions of the Lutheran Church, it was made obligatory, as a test of orthodoxy, and as a preparation of the Lord's Supper.
The North German church ordinances of the late 16th century all include a description of private confession and absolution, which normally took place at the conclusion of Saturday afternoon vespers, and was a requirement for all who desired to commune the following day.
Rejected ... are those who teach that forgiveness of sin is not obtained through faith but through the satisfactions made by man.
The acts of the penitent himself, namely contrition, confession, and satisfaction, constitute, as it were, the matter of this sacrament.
| Luther's Small Catechism |  | |
|---|---|---|
| Chief articles of faith in theAugsburg Confession |
| |
| Practices | ||
| Movements | ||