When I was an undergraduate I stumbled into a church in Oxford with a rather inspiring priest called Fr John. In those days evangelism was less by Alpha and more by tea parties but food was the same draw! I remember being invited to tea with the priest one Sunday. At length he asked me if I’d ever considered going to Confession. I had no good answer! Somehow the spiritual force of the man hit me – I had to go to Confession, Jesus Christ was in him and appealing to me.
If the church could produce more such priests our pews wouldn’t be so empty. We don’t feel the need to confess our sins unless we know them - and we won’t know them without close encounter with the Lord however that can be inspired. I was blessed to discover early on in my Christian journey the need for penitence as being inseparable from the aspiration to be God’s instrument for good in the world.
Michael Ramsey knew this when he, an Anglican Archbishop, was bold enough to announce that ‘the foundations of the kingdom of God are laid in the confessionals of Christendom’. What a strange comment? What do you make of that as an Anglican?
It’s a good thought for Advent, whether confession of sin is something private for you or something accompanied by the gift of absolution, one to one. You may know the Anglican saying about going to confession – all may, none must, some should. Where do you fit into that?!
Let’s trace something of the history of the sacrament of confession, also known as the sacrament of absolution or reconciliation
If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them Jesus said to the apostles. For twenty centuries this ministry of freeing from sin has continued in his church particularly through the ordained ministry. Jesus died that we might be forgiven but we have to receive that forgiveness.
Why seek forgiveness? To deal with our sins because they drag us down.
How? Confess your sins one to another… that you may be healed James says in his letter. We need healing from guilt, the feeling that our sins aren’t forgiven. We also need our church membership renewing when we sin and let the side down.
The ministry of forgiveness can be a sacramental ministry. There’s a bible-based sign in which individuals are given a welcome home to God and his church through the minister. This ministry complements the assurance of forgiveness given to all Christians through prayer and the promises of scripture.
Why go to a minister and not directly to God? It’s not either-or. When the lost son felt sorrow for his sins he said I will arise and go to my father and say to him ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. Imagine his coming home to a note on the table ‘all is forgiven’ rather than to a loving embrace? Sacramental confession helps many Christians to get that embrace and know that when God says they are forgiven they are forgiven! It can help to confess specific sins to the pastor and have a welcome signifying God’s welcome to you individually.
Christians disagree about the ways you can receive God’s forgiveness. They all agree church members should make themselves accountable both to God and to their church. Some are happy to use the minister as an instrument of this. Others see this as introducing a go-between that could subtract from Christ.
Christ gave authority for his disciples to pronounce absolution on Easter Day. From that day the risen Christ though invisible has made himself present through signs - water, bread and wine, oil, touch – we call sacraments. Whilst the sacraments of baptism and eucharist have Christ’s clear authority the other sacraments are valued in the church, including the ministry of forgiveness.
As we approach Christmas Day a good few Anglicans will be making a booking with a priest to meet in Church and kneel at the altar rail. I’ve got my booking and some of you may want to do the same. All may, none must, some should.
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