Confession post-Luther: What happened?

[Sophie Scholl]

Right.  So I'm working on an independent study class with a professor and she has tasked me with the following: I would be very happy if you identified sources on (and wrote one-page synopses of) what happened to confession after ca. 1550 (the sacrament of confession) in lands that became Lutheran (most notably, Germany) or Anglican (England).  I planning on searching through the local libraries, college and public as well as talking to some pastors and priests I know for ideas and sources.  I figured I might as well throw the topic out here for all of you to look at and see if anyone has any insight, input, or potential places/books to look into.  I know some of you are into religion, some are natives of the areas being discussed, and the vast majority of you enjoy history.  Therefore Languish, I come to you!  Thanks in advance for any help.

[Viking]

I don't know what "happened" to confession, but I know why Lutherans don't do it. Lutherans don't do it because they confess their sins to God, giving the local priest something to blackmail you with is not part of the deal. 

[Caliga]

I don't know what "happened" to confession, but I know why Lutherans don't do it. Lutherans don't do it because they confess their sins to God, giving the local priest something to blackmail you with is not part of the deal.

Correct.

My grandfather is a retired Lutheran pastor and he explained that to me once.  While telling me that he also mentioned sometimes his parishioners would still try to confess stuff to him (like if they were having an affair or something), and while he'd be happy to counsel them on that, he always reminded them that they needed to pray to God for forgiveness.

[Viking]

I know so much about the religion that I don't believe in  oh wait, that smiley is wrong... 

[Caliga]

You would think I learned a lot from my grandfather, but I didn't.  Oddly he almost never talked about religion or acted religious outside of church or church functions.  When he was at church, visiting someone at a hospice, etc. he was like a different person (i.e. a religious one).

[Viking]

You would think I learned a lot from my grandfather, but I didn't.  Oddly he almost never talked about religion or acted religious outside of church or church functions.  When he was at church, visiting someone at a hospice, etc. he was like a different person (i.e. a religious one).

Did you ask him about it?

Some people like to talk about their jobs and some don't. My dad rattled on about his work, workplace politics and would bounce work related ideas about me. My mom, however, didn't even want to tell me about it when I asked.

I know with my work I'm happy to talk about it, even to people who are only asking out of politeness   

[grumbler]

I must admit that I find this assignment confusing.  I assume that it is an exercise in locating sources, rather than actually researching (since the answer to the question is quite straightforward, insofar as I can see), but it is unclear to me if your teacher is talking about sources that address confession in the period of the Reformations (which is pretty easy, since you just have to address primary sources), or if she wants you to carry this forward into modern times (in which case the geographical limits don't make a lot of sense).

How many sources is she expecting you to "uncover?"

If you could cover Calvinist territories as well, that would make for a far more interesting project and paper, since I think Zwingli and Luther differed/debated (in writing) on this (though it might have been only the sacrament of communion).

[The Brain]

I must admit that I find this assignment confusing.  I assume that it is an exercise in locating sources, rather than actually researching (since the answer to the question is quite straightforward, insofar as I can see), but it is unclear to me if your teacher is talking about sources that address confession in the period of the Reformations (which is pretty easy, since you just have to address primary sources), or if she wants you to carry this forward into modern times (in which case the geographical limits don't make a lot of sense).

How many sources is she expecting you to "uncover?"

If you could cover Calvinist territories as well, that would make for a far more interesting project and paper, since I think Zwingli and Luther differed/debated (in writing) on this (though it might have been only the sacrament of communion).

http://www.wikipedia.org/

[Valmy]

Lutheran priests can get married so they are made more uncomfortable by all the beautiful women who come to confession and say 'forgive me father for I have sinned I have lusted after this hot priest.'  I mean that is what I see in the documentaries I have seen on the subject.

[alfred russel]

I must admit that I find this assignment confusing.  I assume that it is an exercise in locating sources, rather than actually researching (since the answer to the question is quite straightforward, insofar as I can see), but it is unclear to me if your teacher is talking about sources that address confession in the period of the Reformations (which is pretty easy, since you just have to address primary sources), or if she wants you to carry this forward into modern times (in which case the geographical limits don't make a lot of sense).

How many sources is she expecting you to "uncover?"

If you could cover Calvinist territories as well, that would make for a far more interesting project and paper, since I think Zwingli and Luther differed/debated (in writing) on this (though it might have been only the sacrament of communion).

I don't know if it is so straightforward--did the institution immediately disappear in the reformed churches? Did Confession continue to be robustly practiced among the underground catholic churches? Did ministers facilitate confession like interactions for a period of time? What were the implications for society and public thought?

[Sophie Scholl]

I know a lot (all?) of modern Protestant Churches don't have confession.  I guess it could be a partial test in locating sources, and part seeing if things did progress to the modern lack of confession as Alfred Russel suggests.  I'm thinking the Church of England might have more of a confessional history, though I'm not sure.  They seemed to retain more elements of Catholicism than the Lutheran Churches.  As to the historical timeline I'm to pursue, I'm not sure.  I'll look into the Calvinist idea Grumbler.  Thanks all for the ideas and information so far, and keep stuff coming if you find any/think of any.

[Sheilbh]

You can still get confession in the CofE, especially High Church churches.  I believe the policy is 'all may, some should, none must'.  Which more or less sums up Anglicanism 

[Malthus]

Lutheran priests can get married so they are made more uncomfortable by all the beautiful women who come to confession and say 'forgive me father for I have sinned I have lusted after this hot priest.'  I mean that is what I see in the documentaries I have seen on the subject.

Oddly, most of the documentaries I have seen on the subject involve Nuns.

[Viking]

I know a lot (all?) of modern Protestant Churches don't have confession.  I guess it could be a partial test in locating sources, and part seeing if things did progress to the modern lack of confession as Alfred Russel suggests.  I'm thinking the Church of England might have more of a confessional history, though I'm not sure.  They seemed to retain more elements of Catholicism than the Lutheran Churches.  As to the historical timeline I'm to pursue, I'm not sure.  I'll look into the Calvinist idea Grumbler.  Thanks all for the ideas and information so far, and keep stuff coming if you find any/think of any.

What all the reformation churches agree on is that each soul has a direct connection to god and there is no need for mediation of any kind from either the church or saints. If any reformation churches have confession they don't see it as a required part of forgiveness. So no confession seems to be a pretty obvious consequence of the idea that each christian has a direct link to god.

If I had to guess, I'd guess that the end of Confession was pretty much the first thing that Lutherans stopped (presumably before they even stopped thinking of themselves as Catholics) since the main complaint in the 95 theses is about the sale of indulgences and attacks the idea that the church can grant absolution, which is pretty much what happens in confession.

[grumbler]

I don't know if it is so straightforward--did the institution immediately disappear in the reformed churches?

Yep in the case of Lutheranism.  That is straight out of Luther.  Never disappeared in Anglicanism.

Did Confession continue to be robustly practiced among the underground catholic churches?

Yes.  For catholics, confession is one of the sacraments.

Did ministers facilitate confession like interactions for a period of time?

Lutherans, no.  Anglicans, of course.

What were the implications for society and public thought?

Four.