Can a Protestant go to Confession?

[Cary.Melvin]

I was wondering if a Protestant could recieve the sacrament of reconciliation?

I can't see a reason why not. Can you?

Thanks.

 

[Dominus Fidelis]

Interesting...I dont know...the real question would be "Why remain protestant, if this person feels confession will remove their sins?"

 

[Cary.Melvin]

Interesting...I dont know...the real question would be "Why remain protestant, if this person feels confession will remove their sins?"

It seems to me even someone who believes in Sola Scriptura would be able to see how an Apostle has the authority to forgive sins (John 20).

 

[Dominus Fidelis]

It seems to me even someone who believes in Sola Scriptura would be able to see how an Apostle has the authority to forgive sins (John 20).

You'd be suprised how that verse is hand-waved away.

But, IF they do believe that verse and do believe that the RCC is the Apostolic Church, I don't understand how they could not be a part of it, since the Bible also says not to schism and to be one Church.

 

[Aaron-Aggie]

The Answer is No it is against Cannon law accept in cases of death (see below).

All sacrements carry with them a sign of union with Christ and his Church, so one can not declear themselfs outside of the Church and still partake in that union.
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If they have been baptised they are part of the church. However if they don't follow the teachings of the church it peance would do them no good. One can't pick and choose sins to be forgiven one must confess all with the goal to turn away from sin. So if they or even some one raised in the church went to peance knowing that the Church taught Action A was a sin but refused to accept it they would be doing more harm then good by going to peance. Also.

Can. 842 §1 A person who has not received baptism cannot validly be admitted to the other sacraments.

​

Can. 844 §1 Catholic ministers may lawfully administer the sacraments only to catholic members of Christ's faithful, who equally may lawfully receive them only from catholic ministers, except as provided in §2, 3 and 4 of this canon and in can. 861 §2.


§2 Whenever necessity requires or a genuine spiritual advantage commends it, and provided the danger of error or indifferentism is avoided, Christ's faithful for whom it is physically or morally impossible to approach a catholic minister, may lawfully receive the sacraments of penance, the Eucharist and anointing of the sick from non-Catholic ministers in whose Churches these sacraments are valid.


§3 Catholic ministers may lawfully administer the sacraments of penance, the Eucharist and anointing of the sick to members of the eastern Churches not in full communion with the catholic Church, if they spontaneously ask for them and are properly disposed. The same applies to members of other Churches which the Apostolic See judges to be in the same position as the aforesaid eastern Churches so far as the sacraments are concerned.


§4 If there is a danger of death or if, in the judgment of the diocesan Bishop or of the Episcopal Conference, there is some other grave and pressing need, catholic ministers may lawfully administer these same sacraments to other Christians not in full communion with the catholic Church, who cannot approach a minister of their own community and who spontaneously ask for them, provided that they demonstrate the catholic faith in respect of these sacraments and are properly disposed.


§5 In respect of the cases dealt with in §2, 3 and 4, the diocesan Bishop or the Episcopal Conference is not to issue general norms except after consultation with the competent authority, at least at the local level, of the non-Catholic Church or community concerned.

CHAPTER III : THE PENITENT

Can. 987 In order that the faithful may receive the saving remedy of the sacrament of penance, they must be so disposed that, repudiating the sins they have committed and having the purpose of amending their lives, they turn back to God.


Can. 988 §1 The faithful are bound to confess, in kind and in number, all grave sins committed after baptism, of which after careful examination of conscience they are aware, which have not yet been directly pardoned by the keys of the Church, and which have not been confessed in an individual confession.


§2 The faithful are recommended to confess also venial sins.


Can. 989 All the faithful who have reached the age of discretion are bound faithfully to confess their grave sins at least once a year.


Can. 990 No one is forbidden to confess through an interpreter, provided however that abuse and scandal are avoided, and without prejudice to the provision of can. 983 §2.


Can. 991 All Christ's faithful are free to confess their sins to lawfully approved confessors of their own choice, even to one of another rite.

 

[Carrye]

Good post. While a non-Catholic could approach a priest for counseling, he/she can not receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation except in the two cases you noted.

 

[Oblio]

I realize it is not the Catholic view, but I thought you all might like to know that ...

In the Orthodox Church, you actually make your first Confession as a 'Protestant' (assuming that is what you are converting from). You are NOT at that time granted absolution but this is delayed until immediately after your rite of Chrismation (usually in a day or so) when you are indeed Orthodox.

 

[nyj]

I realize it is not the Catholic view, but I thought you all might like to know that ...

In the Orthodox Church, you actually make your first Confession as a 'Protestant' (assuming that is what you are converting from). You are NOT at that time granted absolution but this is delayed until immediately after your rite of Chrismation (usually in a day or so) when you are indeed Orthodox.

It's been awhile since I taught RCIA, but I believe the same holds for the Catholic Church too.

 

[Cary.Melvin]

I realize it is not the Catholic view, but I thought you all might like to know that ...

In the Orthodox Church, you actually make your first Confession as a 'Protestant' (assuming that is what you are converting from). You are NOT at that time granted absolution but this is delayed until immediately after your rite of Chrismation (usually in a day or so) when you are indeed Orthodox.

Oblio,

I posted the same question in the Orthodox forum to get the Orthodox view on this.

 

[pentecostal girl]

Interesting...I dont know...the real question would be "Why remain protestant, if this person feels confession will remove their sins?"

I have a question Are you saying that confession to your priest removes your sins? I was always kinda confused about that I would appreciate any answers!
God Bless

 

[Credo]

I have a question Are you saying that confession to your priest removes your sins? I was always kinda confused about that I would appreciate any answers!
God Bless

Our sins are absolved through the Sacrament of Reconciliation/Confession (see John 20:22-23 and 2 Corinthins 5:18-20). The priest acts in persona Christi (2 Corinthians 2:10), that is in the person of Christ, in hearing the confession of sins and the granting of absolution using this prayer:
"God, the Father of mercies, through the death and the resurrection of his Son has reconciled the world to himself and sent the Holy Spirit among us for the forgiveness of sins; through the ministry of the Church may God give you pardon and peace, and I absolve you from your sins in the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit."

My confessor always says as he dismisses me "Go in peace, and God love you!" And I rejoice each time I leave the confessional and I know that there is much rejoicing in heaven (Luke 15:7)!

 

[MattMMMan17]

All that Jesus did for us on earth was done through a HUMAN nature. The same holds true for us today, through priests possessed of a human nature.

 

[Benedicta00]

I have a question Are you saying that confession to your priest removes your sins? I was always kinda confused about that I would appreciate any answers!
God Bless

That is not what we are saying. The priest is in the person of Christ when he absolves us from our sins. The forgiveness comes from God. The priest is an instrument.

 

[Michelina]

All that Jesus did for us on earth was done through a HUMAN nature. The same holds true for us today, through priests possessed of a human nature.

That's right, Matt, but we can also add a phrase that helps to clarify this for nonCaths.

"through priests possessed of a human nature, conjoined to the operative faculties of the soul of Christ, 'imprinted' by the Sacrament of Holy Orders.

At his ordination, a priest receives the indelible sacramental character that makes him 24/7 an alter Christus, "another Christ". By virtue of that character, he has the power (potentia) to absolve from sins. The Church gives him the power (potestas) to exercise this office. If he lacks the latter -by some contravention of Canon Law-, he cannot give absolution.

 

[Michelina]

You'd be suprised how that verse is hand-waved away.

How DO they hand-wave it away?

A few years back, I was listening to a radio preacher (Jerry Lind) on my car radio. He was going thru the gospel of John, verse by verse. I was looking forward to his commentary of John 20: 22-23. When the day finally came, I noticed he spent quite a lot of time on verse 21, and then began his usual sign off. The time had run out! But he added: "I don't know what verses 22 and 23 mean, but they do NOT mean that anyone other than God can forgive sins." The next day he went on to verse 24.

 

[pentecostal girl]

How DO they hand-wave it away?

A few years back, I was listening to a radio preacher (Jerry Lind) on my car radio. He was going thru the gospel of John, verse by verse. I was looking forward to his commentary of John 20: 22-23. When the day finally came, I noticed he spent quite a lot of time on verse 21, and then began his usual sign off. The time had run out! But he added: "I don't know what verses 22 and 23 mean, but they do NOT mean that anyone other than God can forgive sins." The next day he went on to verse 24.

I read those verses you guys have been posting, but I interpret them differently So maybe we are not disregarding the scriptures, we just intepret them differently Thanks for helping me understand it a little bit better

I hope ya'll have a wonderful week

 

[Michelina]

I read those verses you guys have been posting, but I interpret them differently..... Thanks for helping me understand it a little bit better

Maybe you can help us, pg. How do you interpret them?

(BTW, my uncle was a pentecostal minister, and one of the holiest men I have ever known. R.I.P.)

 

[thereselittleflower]

Cary . . If I can add to this . . it isn't that a protestant, or anyone for that matter, cannot go and confess their sins to a priest, it is that they can't particpate in the sacramental nature of confession, they can't receive absolution . .

Even baptized protestants, for them to be able to particpate in the sacrament of reconcilliation, they have to believe it IS a sacrament . . if they specifically do not believe it is a sacrament, then there is no sacrament, and since the vast majority of Protestants do not believe in sacraments, or those who do, do not believe in confession/reconcilliation to be a sacrament, it cannot be a sacrament for them . . The only protestant denomination I know of that teaches that confession/reconcilliation is a sacrament is the Anglican church, and I don't know exactly how they see it . .

So - confessing to a priest is one thing, and I have heard that it does good to the soul of the non-catholic who does so - but they cannot be given the sacrament of reconcilliation and recieve absolution . . except as Aaron outlined in his post.


Does this help any more than what was said already?


Peace in Him!

 

[pentecostal girl]

Maybe you can help us, pg. How do you interpret them?

(BTW, my uncle was a pentecostal minister, and one of the holiest men I have ever known. R.I.P.)

John 20:22-23
"And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto them, Recieve ye the Holy Ghost:
Whose soever sins ye remit; they are remitted unto them; and whose soever sins ye retain; they are retained."

To ME this verse means that if someone sins against me or hurts me somehow(talking about me, being cruel to me, etc..) than I can forgive them and they will be forgiven by me. I don't interpret as God giving man the power to absolve sins. Did I make any sense? I'm not very good at explaining myself If you have any more questions about a protestanst view on this, feel free to ask! I'll try hard to answer your questions the best I can

 

[Polycarp1]

John 20:22-23
"And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto them, Recieve ye the Holy Ghost:
Whose soever sins ye remit; they are remitted unto them; and whose soever sins ye retain; they are retained."

To ME this verse means that if someone sins against me or hurts me somehow(talking about me, being cruel to me, etc..) than I can forgive them and they will be forgiven by me. I don't interpret as God giving man the power to absolve sins. Did I make any sense? I'm not very good at explaining myself If you have any more questions about a protestanst view on this, feel free to ask! I'll try hard to answer your questions the best I can

It's a good point, PG, and I think that we often forget that it's our privilege and our duty to forgive those who sin against us -- and, by our Lord's own teaching, is the measure of how we ourselves will be forgiven.

But for Catholics (and Orthodox and Anglicans as well), the idea is that the Apostles were given by Christ in this teaching the authority to pronounce God's forgiveness of all sins, judicially, as they saw repentance in people. (Remember that forgiveness under the Law was not a gift but something derived from animal sacrifice and the undertaking of Atonement at Yom Kippur.)

The Apostles handed down this authority to those they commissioned ("ordained") to the ministries of oversight and eldership -- bishops and priests in modern language -- and it's by that power and authority that a priest pronounces forgiveness. What he himself gives is absolution, which is the conveying of God's forgiveness.

You need not, of course, believe this to be true -- though we do -- but it's worth grasping the distinction that in our view the priest is a man granted special powers in this regard by Christ's own command, dispensing God's forgiveness, not arrogating to himself the power to forgive sins against God or others. That trips up a lot of people. (By analogy I cannot send you to jail in and of myself, just because you said something that annoyed me, for example. But if I were elected judge and you were arrested and found guilty of a crime, I could do so, not because I'm anybody special and better than you as a person, but because it's my job to decide what is the proper sentence for you -- I've been vested with that power and authority by the people who elected me. A priest has no power in and of himself, but he has God's authority to grant forgiveness in His name.)