Can Protestants go to Confession?

[Cary.Melvin]

Can a Protestant go to confession in an Orthodox Church?

The Catholics say no way, Jose. What do you say?

Can a Catholic go to confession in a Orthodox Church?

 

[MariaRegina]

A Protestant can confess his sins to any person, including a priest, according to the Scriptural command, "Confess your sins to one another." Interestingly, a protestant who is converting to Catholicism or Orthodoxy may receive the Sacrament of Holy Confession immediately prior to his baptism or confirmation into the One Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church.

BTW: The Orthodox Priest does hear the confession of a child or adult to be baptized so that he can appropriately counsel the candidate in order to help that newly baptized person overcome sinful habits. We are to avoid blemishing our baptismal garments.

Protestants do have altar calls in which they express their sins out loud to the pastor, yet this is not considered the sacrament of "Holy Confession."

However, the difference is that until the person is baptized and chrismated, they cannot receive absolution, so it isn't strictly considered a Holy Mystery.

Nevertheless, the Orthodox consider any encounter with God to be a Holy Mystery.

This interpretation of a Sacrament being an encounter with God is somewhat similar to the Roman Catholic definition of a sacramental. Prayer is therefore an encounter with God. So is a funeral, religious tonsuring, reading the Holy Scriptures, attending Vespers, etc.

Hope this helps. As you can see the Orthodox don't define moments of grace.

 

[Photini]

Can a Protestant go to confession in an Orthodox Church?

The Catholics say no way, Jose. What do you say?

Can a Catholic go to confession in a Orthodox Church?

No and No. Heterodox are not permitted to participate in the Holy Mysteries.

 

[Cary.Melvin]

No and No. Heterodox are not permitted to participate in the Holy Mysteries.

I thought I heard somewhere that a Catholic could recieve sacraments in the Orthodox Church if he or she could not get access to a Catholic Church and recieved permission from the Orthodox Bishop.

Is this true?

 

[Orthodox Andrew]

I thought I heard somewhere that a Catholic could recieve sacraments in the Orthodox Church if he or she could not get access to a Catholic Church and recieved permission from the Orthodox Bishop.

Is this true?

From what I know, Catholics are allowed to receive Communion.

 

[Photini]

I thought I heard somewhere that a Catholic could recieve sacraments in the Orthodox Church if he or she could not get access to a Catholic Church and recieved permission from the Orthodox Bishop.

Is this true?

You would have to ask a priest on this one. I do not know. If it happens, I am sure it is rare.

 

[Orthosdoxa]

Uhhh...hmmm.

My understanding is that while Catholics have permission from their OWN Bishops to commune in the Orthodox Church, our Bishops say "No way." Likewise, they say it's fine for us to commune in their churches - and our Bishops still say, "No way!"

The Body and Blood of Christ is a serious matter. My own priest has said that he wants to be absolutely positive someone is an Orthodox Christian in good standing before he will commune them.

 

[nicodemus]

Our priest told us it was "spiritual adultery" to even participate in the worship service of another church, much less participate in their sacraments. We've only been given the blessing to attend weddings & funerals out of respect, everything else is off limits.

 

[Photini]

Our priest told us it was "spiritual adultery" to even participate in the worship service of another church, much less participate in their sacraments. We've only been given the blessing to attend weddings & funerals out of respect, everything else is off limits.

Same here.

 

[Nickolai]

From what I know, Catholics are allowed to receive Communion.

Ummmmmm...

I don't think that anyone other than Orthodox can recieve the Holy Mystery of Holy Communion.

 

[Orthodox Andrew]

Ummmmmm...

I don't think that anyone other than Orthodox can recieve the Holy Mystery of Holy Communion.

It's my understanding that those Baptized in the Orthodox Church or the Roman Catholic Church can receive Communion.

 

[MariaRegina]

Dear Andreas:

In the Middle East, Catholics are allowed with permission to receive Holy Communion in The Orthodox Church where there is only that church in a village. The muslims won't allow many churches to be built, so Catholics and Orthodox have to share one building.

In some Orthodox churches in America, the Orthodox bishops also allow this, where there is no Eastern Catholic Church for the Melkite Greek Catholics to attend. It is limited, but in these situations, the Catholics must also regularly go to Holy Confession to the Orthodox Priest, observe the fasts and be repentant. In these cases, their children become Orthodox Christians if they are baptized by the Orthodox Priest, and this does happen.

 

[Orthodox Andrew]

Dear Andreas:

In the Middle East, Catholics are allowed with permission to receive Holy Communion in The Orthodox Church where there is only that church in a village. The muslims won't allow many churches to be built, so Catholics and Orthodox have to share one building.

In some Orthodox churches in America, the Orthodox bishops also allow this, where there is no Eastern Catholic Church for the Melkite Greek Catholics to attend. It is limited, but in these situations, the Catholics must also regularly go to Holy Confession to the Orthodox Priest, observe the fasts and be repentant.

Good to know.