Confession

[emilylauren]

I understand the importance of the public confession, especially in regards to holding people accountable and as an extra incentive to avoid sinning (even in the little things), but is it absolutly needed?

If I only repented and confessed a sin to God, is it still forgiven?

Does the public confession have to be to the Church (or the priest), because I've always tried to confess to both God and the person/people involved. So I was telling God I was sorry and humbling myself before the people I had hurt. Is this wrong?

Finally-- does God expect us to confess every individual sin, or can a more general 'forgive me for all wrongs' sort of idea be okay as well? I only ask because I know for a fact that I can't remember every individual instance of doing something wrong and as I've read more of the bible I've noticed passages I had never known before (such as Paul instructing us to obey the law of the land) but also know that I can't remember every time I've broken a law. So could I just ask God to forgive me for past sins in this case, or should I try to remember them?

I do try to 'repent/confess' as they happen, but there are times when I don't even realize that my actions have a 'sinful component' to them until much later and then begin to wonder if I've done other wrong things in the past that must be forgiven as well.

Whew! That was a bit long and rambly... but I've always been a bit of a ramber. Thanks in advance for any answers!

 

[Lukaris]

Please consider my response with care since I am only a layperson & not able to access much info at the moment. Basically, confession is necessary to sanctify our repentance and enable us to be worthy to take the Eucharist (1 Corinthians 11:27). Confession does not necessarily have to be done before each time the Eucharist is taken. The sacrament of confession is completed by our repentance, the witness of the priest (as the church), & the authority given to the priest by our Lord (John 20:20-23) and God's forgivness. Of course on an individual basis it must be practised daily (as in when saying the Lord's prayer). While we must confess to the best of our ability, it is not so much an itemized list but a contrition of heart (Psalm 50:17 for us, Psalm 51:17 in western Bibles) with a realization of intended & unintended sins. In the Antiochian Orthodox church (my commuinon), confession is often taken before the Sunday divine liturgy so it is often best to be prepared & concise. There may be different emphasis on frequency of confession within various Orthodox rites. Hope this is helpful & reliable.

 

[ArmyMatt]

I think something to consider, is that of course you can confess to God alone, but the question is should you? nowhere in Scripture that I have seen does it tell us to confess our sins to God alone in our own heart. the references to confession are always public from Christ giving the Apostles the authority to bind and loose sin, to our command to confess our sins one to another.

when it comes to confession, God reveals our sinfulness as much as He knows we are able to take it. so no, you will probably not know everything, because if you did you would probably fall into despair. God knows what we all can handle better than we do.

 

[E.C.]

Why not confess in front of a priest? After all on the way to judgment demons shall remind us of our sins so as to tempt us to "give up" and jump to hades. Confess in front of a priest and be reminded that, "you've already confessed that" and everything is okay.

As for confessing every single sin, I was taught this: confess all that you can and if you forget something, confess that you have forgotten and God should be graceful and merciful for that.

That happened to my one time. I had said, "Fr, I was going to confess something else, but I completely forgot what it was". He then said "Well, when you remember make the sign of the cross and it shall be considered forgiven".

But I'm just a layman/acolyte.

 

[Barky]

Confession is a hard pill to swallow for some when coming to Orthodoxy. The only thing I can give is my own account. Confession heals the soul, simple as that. I used to cringe about confession as a Catholic, because of the shame of my sins. The power of sitting in front of a priest and naming those sins, bringing them "into the light", is so liberating it cannot be described. The Church has been along for a long time, and this one of its main sacraments, think about that. After all the church has seen, they keep these things and treasure them for a reason.

 

[AncientFaith]

Having moved from the "general confession" of my Anglican days, to sacramental confession as an AngloCatholic, to sacramental confession in the Orthodox church, there was a noted progression in terms of the utility of it, IMO. General confession didn't really accomplish much. That became obvious the first time I had my confession heard by an Anglican priest.

However, the experience with an Orthodox priest was really an improvement (I largely confess to an elder at a monastery). First of all, its obvious that you are confessing to God in the presence of a priest. Secondly, my confessor is really concerned with the healing of my soul, and provides apporopriate counsel.

 

[AncientFaith]

Having moved from the "general confession" of my Anglican days, to sacramental confession as an AngloCatholic, to sacramental confession in the Orthodox church, there was a noted progression in terms of the utility of it, IMO. General confession didn't really accomplish much. That became obvious the first time I had my confession heard by an Anglican priest.

However, the experience with an Orthodox priest was really an improvement (I largely confess to an elder at a monastery). First of all, its obvious that you are confessing to God in the presence of a priest. Secondly, my confessor is really concerned with the healing of my soul, and provides apporopriate counsel.

 

[Protoevangel]

Hi emilylauren!

Welcome.

Did you know that private confession is part of your own Lutheran heritage? Your Small Catechism has instructions for private confession to your pastor.

Your Augsburg Confession also says:

"Private Absolution ought to be retained in the churches"
​

The The Defense of the Augsburg Confession calls confession/absolution... "the command of God, nay, rather the very voice of the Gospel" and that we must... "believe the absolution, and regard it as certain" and that we "should believe that by this faith we are truly reconciled to God [as though we heard a voice from heaven]." It also says:

"For we also retain confession, especially on account of the absolution, as being the word of God which, by divine authority, the power of the keys pronounces upon individuals. Therefore it would be wicked to remove private absolution from the Church. Neither do they understand what the remission of sins or the power of the keys is, if there are any who despise private absolution."
​

Luther himself said in his Smalcald Articles:

"Since Absolution or the Power of the Keys is also an aid and consolation against sin and a bad conscience, ordained by Christ [Himself] in the Gospel, Confession or Absolution ought by no means to be abolished in the Church, especially on account of [tender and] timid consciences and on account of the untrained [and capricious] young people, in order that they may be examined, and instructed in the Christian doctrine."
​

Another quote from Luther about private confession:

"If you are poor and miserable, then go to Confession and make use of its healing medicine. He who feels his misery and need will no doubt develop such a longing for it that he will run toward it with joy. But those who pay no attention to it and do not come of their own accord, we let them go their way. Let them be sure of this, however, that we do not regard them as Christians."
​

 

[Joshua G.]

I would say it is necessary much in the way that chewing is necessary for nourishment. Can you be fed through an IV. Sure, but there are certain benefits you jsut can't get that way.

This is something I have been thinking about a lot.

I think a problem the west suffers from (and, oddly enough, I do include Catholics in this as well) is looking at what's "necessary" vs what's not. I am not saying that there is not a time for this, but I think it distracts more than helps and in the West categorization and prioritization is almost an obsession.

I really don't mean that disrespectfully and I apologize that I was not able to state that more tactfully. To be sure it is an generalization to which there are many exceptions. But this is a major tendency I have been thinking about lately.


Good question though. Seriously. My intention was not at all to scare you from asking questions just to highlight an Eastern/Western difference.

Joshua

 

[Joshua G.]

But this is an excellent point. It really is very sad that most Lutherans are unaware of this practice that was once a treasured part of their Tradition.

Hi emilylauren!

Welcome.

Did you know that private confession is part of your own Lutheran heritage? Your Small Catechism has instructions for private confession to your pastor.

Your Augsburg Confession also says:

"Private Absolution ought to be retained in the churches"
​

The The Defense of the Augsburg Confession calls confession/absolution... "the command of God, nay, rather the very voice of the Gospel" and that we must... "believe the absolution, and regard it as certain" and that we "should believe that by this faith we are truly reconciled to God [as though we heard a voice from heaven]." It also says:

"For we also retain confession, especially on account of the absolution, as being the word of God which, by divine authority, the power of the keys pronounces upon individuals. Therefore it would be wicked to remove private absolution from the Church. Neither do they understand what the remission of sins or the power of the keys is, if there are any who despise private absolution."
​

Luther himself said in his Smalcald Articles:

"Since Absolution or the Power of the Keys is also an aid and consolation against sin and a bad conscience, ordained by Christ [Himself] in the Gospel, Confession or Absolution ought by no means to be abolished in the Church, especially on account of [tender and] timid consciences and on account of the untrained [and capricious] young people, in order that they may be examined, and instructed in the Christian doctrine."
​

Another quote from Luther about private confession:

"If you are poor and miserable, then go to Confession and make use of its healing medicine. He who feels his misery and need will no doubt develop such a longing for it that he will run toward it with joy. But those who pay no attention to it and do not come of their own accord, we let them go their way. Let them be sure of this, however, that we do not regard them as Christians."
​

 

[Ave Maria]

So, for an Orthodox Christian, you have to confess in front of the entire Church?

 

[E.C.]

So, for an Orthodox Christian, you have to confess in front of the entire Church?

Typically, confession is located at the front of the church, but I have never known of somebody facing the entire church and confessing publicly to all.

 

[SpiritlMuse]

Typically, confession is located at the front of the church, but I have never known of somebody facing the entire church and confessing publicly to all.

I guess I will have to ask the priest about this when I check into things. Is it like the RCC way.. which to me seems so empty to me.

 

[-Kyriaki-]

Why does it seem empty?

And no, we don't confess to the whole Church. We confess to Christ with the priest as witness and as a representation of the whole Church.

 

[Joshua G.]

So, for an Orthodox Christian, you have to confess in front of the entire Church?

lol, no. that's where you stand, and generally not during Church (but sometimes if there is another priest available. It seems the Romanians do this a lot. But it is not public.

 

[ArmyMatt]

yeah, typically, it is made just with yourself and the priest, so that he can console and offer advice.

 

[ProScribe]

So, for an Orthodox Christian, you have to confess in front of the entire Church?

I like the attitude of confession when I'm present at Divine Liturgy ~ Even if I can't make arrangements to meet with a priest for confession I can still prepare and work it out same as asking God to forgive your sins with the help and mediation of Christ. In the Jordanville prayerbook, there are prayers you can say that are penitential and sacramental in nature. If someone confessed in front of the entire Church he would only confirm the Orthodox faith.

 

[SpiritlMuse]

I guess I will have to ask the priest about this when I check into things. Is it like the RCC way.. which to me seems so empty to me.

Why does it seem empty?

And no, we don't confess to the whole Church. We confess to Christ with the priest as witness and as a representation of the whole Church.

Boy that did not come out the way I intended... LOL. My Catholic confession was empty because I felt like I did not confess to God, instead it was "Father forgive me I have sinned" this was made to our Father.. not to Christ or at least this is how I felt. I rattled off my sins and our priest/Father whoever, judged my sins and told me how many Hail Mary's and Our Fathers I had to say for forgiveness.

 

[Gregorios]

Boy that did not come out the way I intended... LOL. My Catholic confession was empty because I felt like I did not confess to God, instead it was "Father forgive me I have sinned" this was made to our Father.. not to Christ or at least this is how I felt. I rattled off my sins and our priest/Father whoever, judged my sins and told me how many Hail Mary's and Our Fathers I had to say for forgiveness.

Our understanding of sin, repentance, and the role of the priest in the Church is different than the RCC. There are some similarities of course but overall we take a more holistic approach than a legalistic one.

 

[E.C.]

The priest symbolizes Christ, but does not take His place.

As for confession: we confess to Christ and Christ alone, yet in the presence of a father confessor (typically a priest) and the confessor is a witness and a witness only. In fact the prayer which the priest says before confession even states that he is nothing more than a witness.