Sacramental Confession (Practice & Frequency)
From public penance before the whole church to the quiet whisper of the confessional
This concerns the practice and required frequency of confessing sins to a priest, from rare public penance to regular private confession. Tertullian's De Paenitentia witnesses early penance, and the Fourth Lateran Council (1215) required annual confession. Private confession is normative in Catholic and Orthodox traditions. The Reformers largely rejected obligatory priestly confession, though Lutherans retained a form of it, so the traditions differ on its necessity.
How it traveled
- Scorpiace.— · c. 220 CEexplains
- The Epistles of Cyprian.Carthage · c. 258 CEapplies
- Expositions on the Book of PsalmsHippo Regius · c. 430 CEexplains
- The ConfessionsHippo Regius · c. 430 CEapplies
- Book Third. the Mode of Obtaining the Grace of Christ. the Benefits It Confers, and the Effects Resulting from ItGeneva · c. 1564 CEapplies
Key passages(20)
Each passage is tagged by what it does with the idea: explains it, applies it in practice, redefines it with a new meaning, or challenges it. Relevance shows how directly the passage is about this idea.
Book Third. the Mode of Obtaining the Grace of Christ. the Benefits It Confers, and the Effects Resulting from It · John Calvin
The French is, “Mais comme les nautonniers fichans l’anchre au milieu de la mer, se reposent du trauail de leur navigation; ou comme un perlin lassé ou defaillant se sied au milieu de la voye pour rep
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Elucidations. ———————————— I. (Such as have lapsed, cap. vii. p. 660.) The penitential system of the Primitive days, referred to in our author, began to be changed when less public confessions wer
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Chapter X. But as to those who think that not here, that is, not within this environment of earth, nor during this period of existence, nor before men possessing this nature shared by us all, has con
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The Confessions · Augustine of Hippo
The Opinion of St. Augustin Concerning His Confessions, as Embodied in His Retractations, II. 6 ———————————— 1. “The Thirteen Books of my Confessions whether they refer to my evil or good, praise
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Book Third. the Mode of Obtaining the Grace of Christ. the Benefits It Confers, and the Effects Resulting from It · John Calvin
PENITENCE, AS EXPLAINED IN THE SOPHISTICAL JARGON OF THE SCHOOLMEN, WIDELY DIFFERENT FROM THE PURITY REQUIRED BY THE GOSPEL. OF CONFESSION AND SATISFACTION. The divisions of this chapter are,—I. The
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Book Third. the Mode of Obtaining the Grace of Christ. the Benefits It Confers, and the Effects Resulting from It · John Calvin
6. They now come to closer quarters, while they support their view by passages of Scripture which they think clearly in their favour.James 5:16). It is not strange that those who wished to be baptized
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Book Fourth. of the Holy Catholic Church · John Calvin
45. By these enactments, holy men wished to retain and ensure the use of frequent communion, as handed down by the apostles themselves; and which, while it was most salutary to believers, they saw gra
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Expositions on the Book of Psalms · Augustine of Hippo
Psalm XXXII. Lat. XXXI. To David himself; for understanding. 1. To David himself; for understanding; by which it is understood that not by the merits of works, but by the grace of God, man is deliv
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Chapter IX. It remains for us, lest ancient times may perhaps have had the sacramentfrom what preceded, and besides, therefore, opposed thereto in its code of rules likewise, so that its Wisdom knows
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The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom · John Chrysostom
Seest thou how great power was in the coming of the prophet? how he stirred up all the people; how he led them to a consideration of their own sins? For it was indeed worthy of wonder to behold him in
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Erasmus’ Preface Reviewed · Martin Luther
Sect. I.—FIRST of all, I would just touch upon some of the heads of your PREFACE; in which, You somewhat disparage our cause and adorn your own. In the first place, I would notice your censuring in me
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Expositions on the Book of Psalms · Augustine of Hippo
Psalm CXXXVIII. Lat. CXXXVII. 1. The title of this Psalm is brief and simple, and need not detain us; since we know whose resemblance David wore, and since in him we recognise ourselves also, for we
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On Baptism. · Ethical
Chapter XX.—Of Preparation For, and Conduct After, the Reception of Baptism. They who are about to enter baptism ought to pray with repeated prayers, fasts, and bendings of the knee, and vigils all t
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The Catechetical Lectures of S. Cyril · Cyril of Jerusalem
15. Take heed lest without reason thou mistrust the power of repentance. Wouldst thou know what power repentance has? Wouldst thou know the strong weapon of salvation, and learn what the force of conf
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The Confessions · Augustine of Hippo
Chapter V.—He Seeks Rest in God, and Pardon of His Sins. 5. Oh! how shall I find rest in Thee? Who will send Thee into my heart to inebriate it, so that I may forget my woes, and embrace Thee my only
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The Epistles of Cyprian. · Cyprian
Epistle XXI. Lucian Replies to Celerinus. Argument.—Lucian Assents to the Petition of Celerinus. 1. Lucian to Celerinus, his lord, and (if I shall be worthy to be called so) colleague in Christ, gr
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The Epistles of Cyprian. · Cyprian
Epistle LVI. To Cornelius in Exile, Concerning His Confession. Argument.—Cyprian Praises in Cornelius and His People Their Confession of the Name of Christ Even to Banishment; And Exhorts Them to Co
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Expositions on the Book of Psalms · Augustine of Hippo
12. Nevertheless, let him point out to us, why the body of Christ, the holy Church, the people of adoption, suffered such indignities. “The Lord,” he saith, “hast chastened and corrected me, but He ha
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Expositions on the Book of Psalms · Augustine of Hippo
Psalm XCV. Lat. XCIV. A discourse delivered at the bidding of Aurelius bishop of Carthage, or perhaps of Valerius bishop of Hippo, and consequently either before or shortly after St. Augustin was con
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Expositions on the Book of Psalms · Augustine of Hippo
“Who looketh on the earth, and maketh it tremble; who toucheth the hills, and they shall smoke” (ver. 32). The hills were proud, and boastful of themselves, God had not touched them: He toucheth them,
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