One of the most profound gifts Christ has bestowed upon His Church is the ministry of reconciliation. The Apostle Paul writes, “All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation” (2 Corinthians 5:18). This ministry, the forgiveness of sins, lies at the very heart of the Gospel. Yet how this ministry is exercised, who may exercise it, and in what forms it is offered has been a subject of theological reflection and pastoral practice throughout the history of the Church.
In the Communion of Evangelical Episcopal Churches (CEEC), we stand within the Anglican tradition, holding together the catholic, evangelical, and charismatic streams of the Christian faith. As Archbishop of the CEEC in Canada, I have had the privilege of shepherding God’s people through the sacred mysteries of confession and absolution, witnessing firsthand the healing power of this sacrament. The CEEC affirms the Great Tradition, as expressed in the ancient rule of faith and the Nicene Creed, along with the apostolic teachings, ministries, spiritualities, and practices that have shaped the Church through the ages.
This article explores the theology and practice of confession and absolution as understood and lived out within the CEEC, with particular attention to the relationship between corporate and private confession, and the nature of priestly absolution.
The Biblical and Theological Foundations
The practice of confession and absolution is rooted in Scripture and the life of the early Church. Our Lord Jesus Christ, after His resurrection, breathed on His disciples and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you withhold forgiveness from any, it is withheld” (John 20:22-23). This commissioning established a ministerial authority for the forgiveness of sins that has been entrusted to the Church through the ages.
The New Testament recognizes both a corporate and an individual dimension to confession. The Epistle of James exhorts believers: “Confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed” (James 5:16). This passage has been understood in the Anglican tradition as supporting both the general confession of the congregation and the private confession of individual penitents.
The CEEC, as a convergence communion, embraces the fullness of this biblical witness. We do not pit the evangelical emphasis on a personal relationship with Jesus Christ against the catholic appreciation for sacramental means of grace. Rather, we see them as complementary expressions of the one Gospel. The forgiveness of sins is always God’s work, yet God chooses to work through human instruments, through the Church, and through the ordained ministry.
Corporate Confession and Absolution
The regular worship of the Church includes corporate confession of sin and the declaration of absolution. This is the form of confession most familiar to CEEC congregations, as it is in the broader Anglican tradition.
The General Confession
In the orders of the Book of Common Prayer, the congregation gathers to confess their sins together. This is not merely a ritual recitation but a genuine act of penitence in which each worshipper acknowledges their sinfulness before God and the community. The General Confession is spoken in the first person plural: “We have erred and strayed from thy ways like lost sheep”. This corporate language reminds us that sin is not merely a private matter but affects the entire Body of Christ. We sin against God and against one another, and we seek forgiveness together.
The corporate confession typically follows an examination of conscience, with a time of silence for personal reflection. Each person names their sins inwardly, even as the congregation voices a common prayer of penitence. In this way, the corporate confession honors both the communal and the personal dimensions of repentance.
The Declaratory Absolution
Following the General Confession, the priest pronounces the absolution. In the Anglican tradition, this is understood as a declaratory act, the priest declares God’s forgiveness to those who truly repent and believe the Gospel. The words of absolution are not the priest’s own but are spoken in Christ’s name and by His authority.
This is an act of authority, by virtue of the power and commandment of God to His ministers. The priest, standing as an ambassador of Christ, announces the remission of sins to the penitent congregation. This is not a mere formality but a genuine means of grace through which the faithful receive the assurance of God’s pardon.
The Value of Corporate Confession
Corporate confession serves several vital purposes in the life of the Church. First, it reminds us that we are not alone in our sinfulness, we stand with the whole people of God, confessing our common need for mercy. Second, it nourishes humility, as we kneel alongside fellow believers and acknowledge our failings. Third, it strengthens the unity of the Body, as we receive forgiveness together and are reconciled both to God and to one another.
The CEEC, like the broader Anglican tradition, affirms that regular corporate confession and absolution in the context of public worship is the normative experience of forgiveness for most Christians. Through the regular celebration of the Eucharist and the daily offices, the faithful are continually reminded of God’s grace and mercy.
Private Confession and Absolution
Alongside the corporate confession, the CEEC also provides for private confession, the Reconciliation of a Penitent. This is a pastoral rite in which an individual confesses their sins to God in the presence of a priest and receives the assurance of pardon and the grace of absolution.
The Nature of Private Confession
Private confession is not a requirement for all Christians but is available for all who desire it. It is particularly helpful for those whose consciences are burdened by serious sin, those who seek spiritual counsel and direction, or those who desire the assurance of God’s forgiveness in a more personal form.
The Book of Common Prayer provides forms for the Reconciliation of a Penitent, and these have been adapted and adopted within the CEEC. The rite involves several elements:
- The Preparation: The penitent examines their conscience and prepares to confess their sins with contrition.
- The Confession: The penitent confesses their sins to God in the presence of the priest. The confession is made freely and with humility.
- The Counsel: The priest offers spiritual counsel and encouragement, helping the penitent to understand their sins and to grow in holiness.
- The Penance: The priest may suggest a penance, a prayer, an act of charity, or some other expression of repentance, as a response to God’s forgiveness.
- The Absolution: The priest pronounces absolution, declaring God’s forgiveness in Christ’s name.
The Seal of Confession
The secrecy of confession is morally absolute for the confessor and must under no circumstances be broken. The content of a confession is not a matter of subsequent discussion. This seal of confession is essential for maintaining the trust and safety of the penitent, allowing them to confess freely without fear of exposure.
The CEEC upholds this sacred obligation with the utmost seriousness. The priest who hears confessions is bound by the seal of confession, just as in the historic Anglican and catholic traditions.
Who May Hear Confessions?
In the CEEC, any Christian may hear a confession in the sense of listening to a brother or sister in Christ. However, only a priest or bishop may pronounce the priestly absolution. This reflects the understanding that the authority to forgive sins has been entrusted by Christ to the ordained ministry.
A deacon or lay person may use a “declaration of forgiveness” in certain circumstances, but this is distinct from the authoritative absolution pronounced by a priest or bishop. The distinction is not about the worthiness of the minister but about the order and authority Christ has established in His Church.
The Theology of Priestly Absolution
The question of priestly absolution has been a point of theological reflection and, at times, controversy in the history of the Church. Within the CEEC, we affirm both the reality of priestly absolution and its proper limitations.
Christ the One Absolver
First and foremost, we affirm that Christ alone is the one who forgives sins. The priest does not forgive sins in their own right or by their own power. Rather, the priest is an instrument of Christ, the One Absolver. The absolution is pronounced in Christ’s name and by His authority, not by the priest’s own authority.
This understanding is reflected in the words of absolution used in the Anglican tradition: “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 thee thine offences”. The priest’s role is to declare what Christ has already accomplished, to announce the forgiveness that is freely given in the Gospel.
The Authority of the Church
At the same time, we affirm that Christ has entrusted this ministry of reconciliation to His Church. The power to forgive sins was given to the apostles and, through them, to their successors in the ordained ministry. This is not a power that the Church invented or assumed but a gift that Christ bestowed.
The CEEC, as a communion rooted in the Anglican tradition, affirms the historic threefold ministry of bishops, priests, and deacons. It is through this ordered ministry that the Church exercises the authority Christ has given her, including the authority to pronounce absolution.
The Efficacy of Absolution
The absolution pronounced by the priest is efficacious, it actually conveys God’s forgiveness to the penitent. This is not because of the priest’s personal holiness but because of Christ’s faithfulness to His promise. When the Church, through her ordained ministers, declares God’s forgiveness, that declaration is trustworthy and true.
This does not mean that absolution works automatically or magically. The penitent must come with genuine contrition, a desire for forgiveness, and a resolve to amend their life. The sacrament requires the active participation of the penitent, repentance, confession, and the intention to make satisfaction.
Corporate and Private Confession: Complementary, Not Competing
Within the CEEC, we do not see corporate and private confession as competing alternatives but as complementary expressions of the one ministry of reconciliation. Each has its proper place and serves distinct pastoral needs.
The Normative and the Exceptional
Corporate confession is the normative experience of forgiveness for most Christians. Through the regular worship of the Church, the faithful confess their sins together and hear the declaration of God’s forgiveness. This is sufficient for ordinary Christian living and growth in holiness.
Private confession is available for those who desire it, whether because of particular sins that burden the conscience, a need for spiritual counsel, or a longing for a more personal encounter with God’s mercy. It is exceptional in the sense that it is not required of all, but it is available to all who seek it.
The Both/And Vision of the CEEC
The CEEC embraces what might be called a “both/and” vision of the Christian life. We hold together the catholic, evangelical, and charismatic streams of the faith. In the matter of confession and absolution, this means we value both the corporate and the private, both the general and the particular, both the communal and the personal.
We do not reduce confession to a private transaction between the individual and God, nor do we reduce it to a mere corporate ritual. We recognize that sin has both personal and communal dimensions, and so forgiveness must address both. We confess our sins together as a congregation, and we may also confess them privately to a priest. Both forms are gifts of the Church, both are means of grace, and both lead us to the same place: the merciful heart of God.
Pastoral Practice in the CEEC
In the CEEC, the practice of confession and absolution is guided by pastoral wisdom and the liturgical traditions of the Church. The following principles inform our pastoral practice:
Accessibility
Confession should be accessible to all who desire it. The Reconciliation of a Penitent may be heard anytime and anywhere. It need not be confined to a particular place or time. The priest should be available to hear confessions, whether in a church building, a private home, or another setting.
Freedom
Confession is voluntary. No one is required to make a private confession. The Church does not compel the faithful to confess their sins to a priest, nor does she discourage those who seek this ministry. The freedom of the penitent is respected at all times.
Discretion
The priest who hears confessions must exercise the utmost discretion. The seal of confession is absolute. The priest must not betray a penitent in any way, by words or otherwise, for any cause whatsoever.
Pastoral Care
Private confession is not merely about the forgiveness of sins but also about pastoral care. The priest offers counsel, encouragement, and guidance to the penitent. The priest may suggest a penance, but this is not a punishment, it is a means of growth in holiness and a response to God’s grace.
Conclusion
The ministry of confession and absolution is a gift of Christ to His Church. Through both corporate and private confession, the faithful receive the assurance of God’s forgiveness and are reconciled to God and to one another. In the CEEC, we embrace the fullness of this gift, holding together the catholic, evangelical, and charismatic streams of the Christian faith.
As Archbishop of the CEEC in Canada, I have seen the transformative power of this ministry in the lives of countless believers. I have witnessed the healing of wounded consciences, the restoration of broken relationships, and the deepening of faith through the grace of absolution. I commend this ministry to all who seek God’s mercy and desire to grow in holiness.
The ancient adage Lex Orandi, lex credendi reminds us that our beliefs are inextricably linked to our activities, particularly prayer. In the practice of confession and absolution, the Church prays and believes that God, through Christ, reconciles the world to Himself. May we, as the people of God, continue to receive this gift with gratitude and extend it to others with love.
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