Confession post-Luther: What happened?

[grumbler]

I believe the policy is 'all may, some should, none must'.  Which more or less sums up Anglicanism 

[dps]

At least some Protestant denominations have a doctrine that says that you should confess your sins publicly before the whole congregation.  The idea being that if you just confess in private to a clergyman, you're really still hiding your sins.

In practice in a lot of denominations, that just means that you confess implicitly to having sinned in general rather than explicitly confessing to individual sins (for example, in the United Methodist Church, if you take part in Holy Communion, you are acknowledging that you are a sinner in need of forgiveness--in fact, most sacrements included acknowledging that you have sinned).  Of course, this also means that in practice, you can still hid what sins you have actually committed.

[Caliga]

Yeah, in my mother in law's (Southern Baptist) church people sometimes do that.  A couple of months ago this one dude stood up in front of the whole church and confessed that he was addicted to watching porno.  Wish I had been there to see that. 

[Sheilbh]

I think you're right that a lot of Protestants believe that confession is within the service and is says public. 

The Kirk, I believe, went further.  They actually believed in public confession/humiliation whereby a part of the service would be set aside for people to confess their sins; they'd then do suitable penance until the congregation and Minister believed they were fit to be accepted again.  The penance or repentance stool which sat at the front of the Church (for the entire interminable service) was an example of this.

[The Brain]

The Kirk, I believe, went further. 

Still got nothing on The Picard.

[Martinus]

I think you're right that a lot of Protestants believe that confession is within the service and is says public. 

The Kirk, I believe, went further.  They actually believed in public confession/humiliation whereby a part of the service would be set aside for people to confess their sins; they'd then do suitable penance until the congregation and Minister believed they were fit to be accepted again.  The penance or repentance stool which sat at the front of the Church (for the entire interminable service) was an example of this.

Catholicism is the beauty of religion at its most mystical and irrational. Protestantism is the horror of religion at its most logical and thought through.

[alfred russel]

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.

The early reformation was not so clean, and practice didn't always change as fast as the theology.

edit: actually, even among catholics the practice of confession has undergone remarkable changes in practice the past few years. Considering how the absolution of sins was one of the major focuses of the reformation, are you that certain it didn't change during the 1550s?

[Agelastus]

Catholicism is the beauty of religion at its most mystical and irrational. Protestantism is the horror of religion at its most logical and thought through.

And Anglicanism is for those who can't make their minds up about which of the above extremes appeals to them.

I must admit, as a Briton, I wasn't aware that "High Church Anglicanism" actually practised the sacrament of confession. I haven't personally come across it, nor can I ever recall coming across it in the media.

[Sheilbh]

I must admit, as a Briton, I wasn't aware that "High Church Anglicanism" actually practised the sacrament of confession. I haven't personally come across it, nor can I ever recall coming across it in the media.

Not just the High Church, though they're more keen than most.  It largely depends on the Vicar.

[Agelastus]

I must admit, as a Briton, I wasn't aware that "High Church Anglicanism" actually practised the sacrament of confession. I haven't personally come across it, nor can I ever recall coming across it in the media.

Not just the High Church, though they're more keen than most.  It largely depends on the Vicar.

I'd be more ashamed of not knowing this than I actually am if I'd actually been to church since I left school...it's still pretty embarassing though.

[derspiess]

Yeah, in my mother in law's (Southern Baptist) church people sometimes do that.  A couple of months ago this one dude stood up in front of the whole church and confessed that he was addicted to watching porno.  Wish I had been there to see that. 

Awesome.  My church would be more fun than that stuff. 

I don't think I've ever been to a Southern Baptist service before.  One of my best friends growing up was a Missionary Baptist & I had to go to his church a few times.  They were about as conservative as you can get (they constantly railed against "Rock Music") but their services were fairly subdued.  And they sure as shit enforced discipline in Sunday School (ours tended to be rather the opposite).

[derspiess]

for example, in the United Methodist Church, if you take part in Holy Communion, you are acknowledging that you are a sinner in need of forgiveness--in fact, most sacrements included acknowledging that you have sinned.

Yep, we keep a lot of it implied.  Apart from standing for some of the hymns, you're pretty much on autopilot all the time

[Martinus]

For the record, confession as practiced in the Catholic church is pretty awesome. I bet one could write a thesis on the "architecture" of confession booths alone, what with their elaborate construction, etc.

[katmai]

  > all other religions.

[Ed Anger]

For the record, confession as practiced in the Catholic church is pretty awesome. I bet one could write a thesis on the "architecture" of confession booths alone, what with their elaborate construction, etc.

You rage quit those also?