Repentance and Confession - Introduction [Catholic/Orthodox Caucus]

Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America ^ | 1990 | Fr. Dcn John Chryssavgis

[Kolokotronis]

Though an older article, this piece is particularly timely during this period of Great Lent. It is, obviously, written from an orthodox pov.

"Unfortunately confession at times undermines and even replaces the genuine inner repentance of a Christian: peo­ple feel "entitled" to communion after confession. This con­tradicts the true nature of repentance. It is a result of the sacrament being narrowly and juridically reduced to "abso­lution."

Worth remembering!

[Kolokotronis]

Catholic/Orthodox Caucus ping on Confession and Repentance.

[Kolokotronis]

"I've not heard that phrase before - am I understanding correctly it's used only by the Russian Orthodox?"

That's correct.

[kosta50]

Kolo, while Fr. Deacon's theology is correct the supposed decline in repentance is, by necessity, a speculation.

He cannot know if people repent or not, so there is no accurate way of 'recording' trends in repentance as that would be known only to God.

Second, I don't believe that people in the past were much more prone to repentance then they are today. History would suggest otherwise.

Confession is something visible (someone always makes it his or her business to 'notice,' especially the priest) so people confess under social pressure, and I don't think that changed since the days gone by. Left to yheir own conscience, I am not sure how many people would confess and how often.

What, pray tell, did the priests whom Luther saw womanizing in Rome, confess to their father confessors? One of the opening preambles of the Vatican I (1870) was – 'secularization' and loss of respect for the Eucharist and real Presence, pantheism, rationalism, liberalism, loss of Christian ethics, etc. Just like today.

real changes, if any, are due to Protestant Reformation. Let's be honest and admit: the Protestants won. Their laissez-fair religion is a temptation for man's weaknesses: it appeals to man's ego and self-rigtheousness; it awards grace and requires nothing in return.

In addition to that, Protestant mindset is the mindset of the West which came to dominate the world. It is the backbone of the deity we call democracy. Protestantism is a stepping stone to secularism and secularism to atheism, pantheism or just pure rationalism.

Let's face it: it's easy. Catholic and Orthodox women used to be covered in churches until it became 'offensive.' Where did the idea that it might be offensive come from? Not from the Orthodox or the Catholics!

The Protestants argue effectively: accept Christ and be done with it! After you are 'saved' you can do whatever you want, your sins, past, present and future, are 'paid for.' You are given not only a ticket but a guarantee.

At the end of the journey comes the crown: you are turned into the likeness of Christ!!! They gor rid of the cross and offered only the crown. Neat. Easy. Attractive. Tempting. Sweet. You get to keep your ego and get the reward.

It doesn't get much easier than that. So, while many Protestants consider extramarital relations a sin, the sin 'is covered' with the Blood of Christ, you see, so don't worry; just 'praise the Lord.' Such outlook can only un-do more restrictive religious disciplines because it tells us that we can do what we like to do (sin), and sin boldly, and not to worry about it as long as we 'praise the Lord.'

So, if there is any decline in repentance and confession, it didn't come from the Apostolic side. Protestant Christianity is an instrument that appeals to our 'instincts' and at the same time 'absolves' us of all guilt and responsibility, while providing assurance and guarantee; it is a call to freedom we cherish so much and yet find it so incompatible with our beliefs. That's why I said Orthodoxy is an unnatural phenomenon in the West; a freak.

Individualism safeguarded by democracies is incompatible with unwavering obedience required by the Church.

[Kolokotronis]

"Kolo, while Fr. Deacon's theology is correct the supposed decline in repentance is, by necessity, a speculation.

He cannot know if people repent or not, so there is no accurate way of 'recording' trends in repentance as that would be known only to God."

I suspect his comment is necessarily based on anecdotal evidence, but I have to tell you that in the past 17 years since this this essay was written, I personally have noticed quite an increase in at least the awareness that people are partaking of the Mystery. I will also say that it seems virtually all of the converts go to confession while the Americn Greeks much less. In fact, there are women from my mother's generation who say they have never been to confession. Probably that is the American influence. Our generation seems to go rather more than the older ones, but I'm only talking about one small parish.

Next time I see the deacon, I'll ask him what he based this comment on.

[Honorary Serb]

"When our Lord and Master Jesus Christ said, "Repent" (Mt 4:17), he willed the entire life of believers to be one of repentance."


Martin Luther, 95 Theses, Thesis #1.

[lightman]

From the Rule of the Society of the Holy Trinity:

Chapter V
Confession and Absolution

Individual or personal confession of sins is to be kept and used by us for the sake of the absolution, which is the word of forgiveness spoken by a fellow pastor as from God himself. Therefore, members will:

1. Learn and adopt the understanding and practice of Confession and Absolution as described in the Augsburg Confession (Article XI, XII, XXV), and the Small Catechism.

2. Seek out a trustworthy pastor who will be willing to serve as a confessor and who will be able to be available for one's individual confession regularly and frequently.

3. Prepare to make individual confession by examining one's personal life and relationship with God and others in the light of the Ten Commandments. Also helpful are the penitential Psalms (6, 32, 38, 51, 102, 130, 143) and the Prayer of Manasseh in the Apocrypha.

4. In preparation for hearing the confession of others, make regular and frequent use of Confession and Absolution, keep confidences, so as to be worthy of the trust of others, read and reflect on the Holy Scriptures so as to provide a reservoir of passages with which to comfort consciences and strengthen the faith of penitents (see FC, SD XI.28-32).

5. Both as penitent and confessor, refrain from extraneous conversation so that attention is centered on the penitent's confession of sins, the Absolution or forgiveness of sins, and the confessor's use of Scripture passages which comfort the conscience and encourage faith in the Word of God which absolves; refrain from challenging or evaluating the confession; use the order of Confession and Absolution of the Small Catechism or that of the service books of the Church.

6. As absolved penitents, expect to be held accountable by the confessor for reconciliation with those whom we have offended and restoration of what we have taken or broken.

7. Confession and Absolution is a sacramental rite of the Church (AP XII.4) and therefore is normally conducted in church buildings where provision can be made for privacy and confidentiality.

Since Confession and Absolution has fallen into disuse among many of us, its restoration demands utmost care and concern for both penitent and confessor. Introduction to and initial use of Confession and Absolution may call for simply following the order of Confession and Absolution lest the penitent worry about a full enumeration of sins or the confessor about comforting and encouraging with passages of Scripture.

[kawaii]

i know the oca churches in the area are now trying to promote confession (and at a bare minimum general confession) before folks go to communion.

our ROCOR parish is fairly diligent in promoting confession before communion.

it looks to me like in general it was sort of ignored for a while but folks are acknowledging it got a bit out of hand...

[kawaii]

That's a bit of a generalization. It seems that the phrase was introduced by Peter Mohlia. Molia was Latin educated, though he preserved Orthodoxy in Ukraine he's known to have introduced many Latinized concepts. It seems the Slavic churches adopted it latter. It seems that the Serbians and Georgians also use it, as well as the Antiochians.

"The Slavonic formula of absolution, introduced by Peter Moghila, Metropolitan of Kiev ... And I, an unworthy Priest, through the power given me by Him, forgive and absolve you from all yours sins."

http://www.stots.edu/article.php?id=39

"And I, his unworthy Priest, through the power
given unto me by him, do forgive and absolve thee from all thy
sins....??]’ This prayer was introduced into our order of confes-
sion quite recently, less than three hundred years ago; neither the
Greeks nor the Edinovertsi?? have it, but it came to us from the
Roman Catholics.??


??
Ibid., p. ???.
??
Old Ritualists (Old Believers) who re–united with the Russian Or-
thodox Church, but were allowed to maintain their pre–Nikonian customs.
??
Metropolitan Anthony, Confession, pp. ?????."

http://www.orthodoxinfo.com/praxis/guidech2.pdf


also

http://www.antiochian.org/1140462230

[kosta50]

In Serbian churches it is impossible to commune without a confession. That part is observed strictly. In other churches it's a 'mass' communion, like in the Catholic churches.

General confession is something that came out of Russia (I believe it was Kronstadt), probably under Latin influence. It is not an Orthodox practice.

The Communion Prayer is recited (or should be recited) silently by those who are to receive the holy Mysteries only.

In some churches it is used as a General Confession, recited aloud, which is wrong.

[kawaii]

not a supporter of general confession myself just noting that it seems the local oca folks are trying to reestablish confession in general.

I've never been in a rocor parish where they didn't ask prior to communion whether I'd gone to confession. it seems to me they're probably on par with the serbian churches in that regard.

[kawaii]

also. the general confession I'm referring to was held saturdays after vespers... in the oca parishes ... definitly not a few lines inserted into liturgy... each person approached the priest one at a time...

[ArrogantBustard]

General confession is something that came out of Russia (I believe it was Kronstadt), probably under Latin influence.

Please elaborate on what you mean by "General confession".

[kawaii]

I don't beleive what St John of Kronstadt practiced was general confession (nor do I see a disparity between what is prescribed in Holy Scripture and what St John practiced):

"Some of the pious were even led to believe that there was some relation between this innovative exercise called "General Confession," and the mass Confessions conducted by St. John of Kronstadt. NOTHING OF THE SORT! In the practice of mass Confessions conducted by St. John of Kronstadt, all, according to witnesses and participants, said or, in many cases, shouted aloud all their individual sins. That is, the Christians who participated in this mass Confession did not speak their sins ONLY in the presence of an ordained Priest in the relative seclusion of the Office of Confession, but in the presence and hearing of their friends and neighbors and strangers standing beside them in Church!"

http://www.holy-trinity.org/spirituality/tikhon.penance.html

[kawaii]

ROCOR thoughts on confession before communion (very strict)

http://www.roca.org/OA/151/151m.htm

http://www.orthodoxengland.org.uk/rocor.htm

http://www.orthodoxinfo.com/ecumenism/tradmod_intro.aspx

[kawaii]

basically the priest pronounces absolution without hearing the specific sins in a group.

[ArrogantBustard]

That practice is condemned in the Catholic Church. There's an exception for instances where a group of folks is facing immanent and immediate hazard to life and limb ... but survivors are expected to make a regular sacramental confession as soon as possible.

[ArrogantBustard]

Incidentally, we will often have something that goes by various names like "communal pennance service" which involves hearing a Scripture reading or two on the subject of repentance, a priest leading the faithful in an examination of conscience, followed by regular, individual confessions. Usually, several priests from nieghbouring parishes gather to hear confessions.