The call to repent – to abhor one’s past misdeeds and way of life, and to make a sincere change of mind, heart, and life – is one of the oldest and most fundamental aspects of prophetic religion. The Hebrew Scriptures give us multiple examples of both this call and penitents’ responses, including tearing of garments, wearing of sackcloth and ashes, fasting, restitution, all as outward signs of a recognition of guilt and a change of heart.
Repentance was the major thrust of the Forerunner’s teaching, and although we might say that the Kingdom of Heaven is Our Lord’s own theme, the call to repentance is often tied explicitly to the coming of the Kingdom for both: ‘Repent, for the Kingdom of God is at hand’, both preach. It was also part of the apostolic message: both in the Gospels [Mk 6, the sending of the Twelve] and constantly throughout the Acts, the apostles preach the need to repent: ‘Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ so that your sins may be forgiven; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit’, says St Peter. [Ac 2.38]
The Greek word traditionally translated as ‘repentance’ is metánoia, which means ‘a change of mind’. Metánoia was translated into Latin as paenitentia, which means ‘regret’, but was perhaps mentally associated with the word poena ‘penalty, punishment’; the corresponding verbs show up the translation gap much more starkly: metanoéô ‘to change one’s mind’ vs paenitentiam ago, which carried the connotation of ‘doing penance’ or ‘paying a penalty’ and eventually came to denote this. Tertullian, for one, criticized this translation, and though the English word ‘repent’ does not absolutely denote or connote the undertaking of particular acts of punishment or amends, it tends to connote only sorrow and confession and not the purpose of amendment which it technically also denotes in catholic theology, and it must be said that ‘conversion’ would be a much better translation of metánoia.
In the early Church there was an understanding that reception of Communion conveyed the grace of forgiveness of sins. But, perhaps under the influence of this Latin (mis)translation, the question of the causes and effects of sin, especially serious sin, after baptism soon arose: assuming that one’s baptism was valid and its gift of forgiveness real, was it possible to receive forgiveness again when one later fell into sin – and if so, how? Some took to putting off baptism until they were near death. But a system of public penance was also instituted for those who had fallen into serious sin: normally regarded as a once-
But the strictness and disruption of life that this system of penance entailed caused it also to be postponed until the end of life, and a less extreme regimen of private confession and much lighter penance came into use under the influence of Insular monk-missionaries in Europe. The order of acts was also changed from confession–
Thus private confession – and absolution in the indicative form, never used in the East – became regular and then necessary for the reception of Communion, so that communicants would be in a state of grace (i.e., absolved from mortal sins). This was a factor in the infrequent communication of the laity in the later medieval West. At the same time, mutual confessions by celebrant or officiant and the ministers of the altar at Mass, and all those in quire at the Office, were added to the preparations for Mass and to Prime and Compline, though these did not take the place of private confession and absolution in the indicative but were rather held to be beneficial in increasing the contrition necessary for true absolution. There is also evidence of general confession in the vernacular being inserted into the Mass in the late Middle Ages.
The system of even private penance eventually broke down as well, due to such practices as the substitution of monetary fines for acts of penance, and the codification and corruption of the system of indulgences meant to ease the purgatorial punishment believed, by the late Middle Ages, to be owing to souls who had made insufficient amends for their sins in this life.
This corruption, and to an extent the entire elaborate and legalistic edifice of categories of sins, punishments and their substitutes, was of course one of the main targets of the sixteenth-
And yf there bee any of you, whose conscience is troubled and greved in any thing, lackyng comforte or counsaill, let him come to me, or to some other dyscrete and learned priest, taught in the law of God, and confesse and open his synne and griefe secretly, that he may receive suche ghostly counsaill, advyse, and comfort, that his conscience maye be releved, and that of us (as of the ministers of GOD and of the churche) he may receive comfort and absolucion, to the satisfaccion of his mynde, and avoyding of all scruple and doubtfulnes: requiryng suche as shalbe satisfied with a generall confession, not to be offended with them that doe use, to their further satisfiyng, the auriculer and secret confession to the Priest: nor those also whiche thinke nedefull or convenient, for the quietnes of their awne consciences, particuliarly to open their sinnes to the Priest: to bee offended with them that are satisfied, with their humble confession to GOD, and the generall confession to the churche. But in all thinges to folowe and kepe the rule of charitie, and every man to be satisfied with his owne conscience, not judgyng other mennes myndes or consciences; where as he hath no warrant of Goddes word to the same.
Subsequent English revisions removed the word ‘confession’ from the exhortation to visit the priest privately – along with the admonition to respect one another’s choice to use the general or auricular confession – but retained ‘absolution’ as one of the benefits that one might receive by such a visit:
...if there be any of you which by the meanes afore said cannot quiet his own conscience, but requireth further comfort or counsel; then let him come to me, or some other discreet and learned minister of god’s word, and open his griefe, that he may receive such gostlye counsail, advise, and coumfort, as his conscience maye be relieved; and that by the ministery of god’s word he may receive coumfort and the benefite of absolucion, to the quietting of his conscience, and avoiding of al Scruple and doubtfulnes.
bcp1552 & 1559
...if there be any of you, who by this means cannot quiet his own conscience herein, but requireth further comfort or counsel; let him come to me, or to some other discreet and learned Minister of God’s Word, and open his grief; that by the ministry of God’s holy Word he may receive the benefit of absolution, together with ghostly counsel and advice, to the quieting of his conscience, and avoiding of all scruple and doubtfulness.
bcp1662
bcp1552 & 1559
...if there be any of you, who by this means cannot quiet his own conscience herein, but requireth further comfort or counsel; let him come to me, or to some other discreet and learned Minister of God’s Word, and open his grief; that by the ministry of God’s holy Word he may receive the benefit of absolution, together with ghostly counsel and advice, to the quieting of his conscience, and avoiding of all scruple and doubtfulness.
bcp1662
The 1979 Prayer Book restores both ‘priest’ and ‘confess’ and removes ‘minister’ and ‘ministry’ ‘of God’s Word’, which, whatever it may have meant in 1552, today sounds like something different from sacramental ministry:
And if, in your preparation, you need help and counsel, then go and open your grief to a discreet and understanding priest, and confess your sins, that you may receive the benefit of absolution, and spiritual counsel and advice; to the removal of scruple and doubt, the assurance of pardon, and the strengthening of your faith.
At the same time, the Church of England hoped to restore something of the primitive practice of public penance, as the disciplinary rubrics introductory to the Communion service show, and there is evidence that this was undertaken to some extent in some places, at least into the nineteenth century.
All this was set, however, within the primary context of a private, individual examination of conscience and confession to God, and it was reiterated in the Exhortation and the Articles that purpose of amendment of life, and readiness to make restitution and satisfaction to any whom one had wronged, and to forgive those who had wronged one, were requisite to not only a beneficial but indeed a non-
For neither the absolucion of the priest, can any thing avayle them [who come to the altar unrepentant], nor the receivyng of this holy sacrament doth any thing but increase their damnacion.
bcp1549
And in such only as worthily receive the [Sacraments], they have a wholesome effect or operation: but they that receive them unworthily, purchase to themselves damnation, as Saint Paul saith.
Article xxv
The Wicked, and such as be void of a lively faith, although they do carnally and visibly press with their teeth (as Saint Augustine saith) the Sacrament of the Body and Blood of Christ; yet in no wise are they partakers of Christ: but rather, to their condemnation, do eat and drink the sign or Sacrament of so great a thing.
Article xxix
bcp1549
And in such only as worthily receive the [Sacraments], they have a wholesome effect or operation: but they that receive them unworthily, purchase to themselves damnation, as Saint Paul saith.
Article xxv
The Wicked, and such as be void of a lively faith, although they do carnally and visibly press with their teeth (as Saint Augustine saith) the Sacrament of the Body and Blood of Christ; yet in no wise are they partakers of Christ: but rather, to their condemnation, do eat and drink the sign or Sacrament of so great a thing.
Article xxix
This reminder that absolution is not really effective without repentance lies beneath the declaration of absolution found in the Daily Office from 1552 (found in bcp1979 in the Ash Wednesday liturgy), however impotent that text might sound to a Western Catholic ear:
Almighty God, the father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
who desireth not the death of a sinner,
but rather that he may turn from his wickedness and live,
and hath given power and commandment, to his Ministers,
to declare and pronounce to his people, being penitent,
the absolution and remission of their sins:
He pardoneth and absolveth all them that truly repent,
and unfeignedly believe his holy Gospel.
Wherefore let us beseech him to grant us true repentaunce,
and his Holy Spirit;
that those things may please him which we do at this present,
and that the rest of our life hereafter may be pure and holy;
so that at the last we may come to his eternal joy;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
who desireth not the death of a sinner,
but rather that he may turn from his wickedness and live,
and hath given power and commandment, to his Ministers,
to declare and pronounce to his people, being penitent,
the absolution and remission of their sins:
He pardoneth and absolveth all them that truly repent,
and unfeignedly believe his holy Gospel.
Wherefore let us beseech him to grant us true repentaunce,
and his Holy Spirit;
that those things may please him which we do at this present,
and that the rest of our life hereafter may be pure and holy;
so that at the last we may come to his eternal joy;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
(It is also evidence of the non-
This is one of two forms of Absolution (each with its own form of Confession, and invitation to confession) found in the ‘classic’ Prayer Books. The foregoing is prefaced by this:
Dearly beloved brethren,
the Scripture moveth us, in sundry places,
to acknowledge and confess our manifold sins and wickedness;
and that we should not dissemble nor cloke them
before the face of Almighty God our heavenly Father;
but confess them with an humble, lowly, penitent, and obedient heart;
to the end that we may obtain forgiveness of the same,
by his infinite goodness and mercy.
And although we ought, at all times,
humbly to acknowledge our sins before God,
yet ought we most chiefly so to do,
when we assemble and meet together,
to render thanks for the great benefits
that we have receiued at his hands,
to set forth his most worthy praise,
to hear his most holy word,
and to aske those things that are requisite and necessary,
as well for the body as the soul.
Wherefore I pray and beseech you,
as many as are here present,
to accompany me, with a pure heart, and humble voice,
unto the throne of the heavenly grace,
saying after me:
Almighty and most merciful Father,
we have erred and strayed from thy ways like lost sheep:
we have followed too much
the devices and desires of our own hearts:
we have offended against thy holy laws:
we have left undone those things which we ought to have done;
and we have done those things which we ought not to have done;
and there is no health in us.
But thou, O Lord, have mercy upon us, miserable offenders:
spare thou them, O God, which confess their fault:
restore thou them that are penitent;
according to thy promises declared unto mankind
in Christ Jesu our Lord;
and grant, O most merciful Father, for his sake,
that we may hereafter live a godly, righteous, and sober life,
to the glory of thy holy Name. Amen.
the Scripture moveth us, in sundry places,
to acknowledge and confess our manifold sins and wickedness;
and that we should not dissemble nor cloke them
before the face of Almighty God our heavenly Father;
but confess them with an humble, lowly, penitent, and obedient heart;
to the end that we may obtain forgiveness of the same,
by his infinite goodness and mercy.
And although we ought, at all times,
humbly to acknowledge our sins before God,
yet ought we most chiefly so to do,
when we assemble and meet together,
to render thanks for the great benefits
that we have receiued at his hands,
to set forth his most worthy praise,
to hear his most holy word,
and to aske those things that are requisite and necessary,
as well for the body as the soul.
Wherefore I pray and beseech you,
as many as are here present,
to accompany me, with a pure heart, and humble voice,
unto the throne of the heavenly grace,
saying after me:
Almighty and most merciful Father,
we have erred and strayed from thy ways like lost sheep:
we have followed too much
the devices and desires of our own hearts:
we have offended against thy holy laws:
we have left undone those things which we ought to have done;
and we have done those things which we ought not to have done;
and there is no health in us.
But thou, O Lord, have mercy upon us, miserable offenders:
spare thou them, O God, which confess their fault:
restore thou them that are penitent;
according to thy promises declared unto mankind
in Christ Jesu our Lord;
and grant, O most merciful Father, for his sake,
that we may hereafter live a godly, righteous, and sober life,
to the glory of thy holy Name. Amen.
At Mass, the forms were as follows:
Ye who do truly and earnestly repent you of your sins
[1549 add: to almighty God,]
and are in love and charity with your neighbors,
and intend to lead a new life,
following the commandments of God,
and walking from henceforth in his holy ways:
Draw near with faith,
[in 1548/9 this meant literally ‘come to the altar’],
and take this holy Sacrament to your comfort,
and make your humble confession to Almighty God,
[1549 add: and to his holy church [1552, 1559 ‘this Congregation’]
here gathered in his name],
meekly kneeling upon your knees.
Almighty God,
Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
maker of all things, judge of all men:
We acknowledge and bewail our manifold sins and wickedness,
which we from time to time most grievously have committed,
by thought, word, and deed, against thy divine Majesty,
provoking most justly thy wrath and indignation against us.
We do earnestly repent,
and are heartily sorry for these our misdoings;
the remembrance of them is grievous unto us,
the burden of them is intolerable.
Have mercy upon us,
have mercy upon us, most merciful Father;
for thy Son our Lord Jesus Christ’s sake,
forgive us all that is past;
and grant that we may ever hereafter
serve and please thee in newness of life,
to the honor and glory of thy Name;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Almighty God, our heavenly Father,
who of his great mercy hath promised forgiveness of sins
to all them, that with hearty repentance and true faith turn unto him,
have mercy upon you,
pardon and deliver you from all your sins,
confirm and strengthen you in all goodness,
and bring you to everlasting life;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
[1549 add: to almighty God,]
and are in love and charity with your neighbors,
and intend to lead a new life,
following the commandments of God,
and walking from henceforth in his holy ways:
Draw near with faith,
[in 1548/9 this meant literally ‘come to the altar’],
and take this holy Sacrament to your comfort,
and make your humble confession to Almighty God,
[1549 add: and to his holy church [1552, 1559 ‘this Congregation’]
here gathered in his name],
meekly kneeling upon your knees.
Almighty God,
Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
maker of all things, judge of all men:
We acknowledge and bewail our manifold sins and wickedness,
which we from time to time most grievously have committed,
by thought, word, and deed, against thy divine Majesty,
provoking most justly thy wrath and indignation against us.
We do earnestly repent,
and are heartily sorry for these our misdoings;
the remembrance of them is grievous unto us,
the burden of them is intolerable.
Have mercy upon us,
have mercy upon us, most merciful Father;
for thy Son our Lord Jesus Christ’s sake,
forgive us all that is past;
and grant that we may ever hereafter
serve and please thee in newness of life,
to the honor and glory of thy Name;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Almighty God, our heavenly Father,
who of his great mercy hath promised forgiveness of sins
to all them, that with hearty repentance and true faith turn unto him,
have mercy upon you,
pardon and deliver you from all your sins,
confirm and strengthen you in all goodness,
and bring you to everlasting life;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
The 1979 Book of Common Prayer offers a number of different forms of both Confession and Absolution.
The Rite I Eucharist uses essentially the ‘classic’ Invitation, Confession, and Absolution for the Eucharist (this form of Absolution was also an option at the Office in bcp1892 and bcp1928, perhaps reflecting ambivalence even that long ago concerning the old Office form):
Ye who do truly and earnestly repent you of your sins,
and are in love and charity with your neighbors,
and intend to lead a new life,
following the commandments of God,
and walking from henceforth in his holy ways:
Draw near with faith,
and make your humble confession to Almighty God,
devoutly kneeling.
or
Let us humbly confess our sins unto Almighty God.
Almighty God,
Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
maker of all things, judge of all men:
We acknowledge and bewail our manifold sins and wickedness,
which we from time to time most grievously have committed,
by thought, word, and deed, against thy divine Majesty,
provoking most justly thy wrath and indignation against us.
We do earnestly repent,
and are heartily sorry for these our misdoings;
the remembrance of them is grievous unto us,
the burden of them is intolerable.
Have mercy upon us,
have mercy upon us, most merciful Father;
for thy Son our Lord Jesus Christ’s sake,
forgive us all that is past;
and grant that we may ever hereafter
serve and please thee in newness of life,
to the honor and glory of thy Name;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Almighty God, our heavenly Father,
who of his great mercy hath promised forgiveness of sins
to all those who with hearty repentance and true faith turn unto him,
have mercy upon you,
pardon and deliver you from all your sins,
confirm and strengthen you in all goodness,
and bring you to everlasting life;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
and are in love and charity with your neighbors,
and intend to lead a new life,
following the commandments of God,
and walking from henceforth in his holy ways:
Draw near with faith,
and make your humble confession to Almighty God,
devoutly kneeling.
or
Let us humbly confess our sins unto Almighty God.
Almighty God,
Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
maker of all things, judge of all men:
We acknowledge and bewail our manifold sins and wickedness,
which we from time to time most grievously have committed,
by thought, word, and deed, against thy divine Majesty,
provoking most justly thy wrath and indignation against us.
We do earnestly repent,
and are heartily sorry for these our misdoings;
the remembrance of them is grievous unto us,
the burden of them is intolerable.
Have mercy upon us,
have mercy upon us, most merciful Father;
for thy Son our Lord Jesus Christ’s sake,
forgive us all that is past;
and grant that we may ever hereafter
serve and please thee in newness of life,
to the honor and glory of thy Name;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Almighty God, our heavenly Father,
who of his great mercy hath promised forgiveness of sins
to all those who with hearty repentance and true faith turn unto him,
have mercy upon you,
pardon and deliver you from all your sins,
confirm and strengthen you in all goodness,
and bring you to everlasting life;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
The Rite I Office offers a modified form of the classic Office Invitation to Confession (longer at Morning Prayer; shorter at Evening Prayer) and the classic Office Confession, the Office Absolution having been replaced:
[Morning]
…And so that we may prepare ourselves in heart and mind to worship him...
[Evening]
Dear friends in Christ, here in the presence of Almighty God...
[both]
let us kneel in silence,
and with penitent and obedient hearts confess our sins,
that we may obtain forgiveness by his infinite goodness and mercy.
or
Let us humbly confess our sins unto Almighty God.
Almighty and most merciful Father,
we have erred and strayed from thy ways like lost sheep,
we have followed too much the devices and desires of our own hearts,
we have offended against thy holy laws,
we have left undone those things which we ought to have done,
and we have done those things which we ought not to have done.
But thou, O Lord, have mercy upon us,
spare thou those who confess their faults,
restore thou those who are penitent,
according to thy promises declared unto mankind
in Christ Jesus our Lord;
and grant, O most merciful Father, for his sake,
that we may hereafter live a godly, righteous, and sober life,
to the glory of thy holy Name. Amen.
[also option at Rite I Penitential Order before Mass]
The Almighty and merciful Lord grant you
absolution and remission of all your sins,
true repentance,
amendment of life,
and the grace and consolation of his Holy Spirit.
[also at Rite I Penitential Order before Mass]
…And so that we may prepare ourselves in heart and mind to worship him...
[Evening]
Dear friends in Christ, here in the presence of Almighty God...
[both]
let us kneel in silence,
and with penitent and obedient hearts confess our sins,
that we may obtain forgiveness by his infinite goodness and mercy.
or
Let us humbly confess our sins unto Almighty God.
Almighty and most merciful Father,
we have erred and strayed from thy ways like lost sheep,
we have followed too much the devices and desires of our own hearts,
we have offended against thy holy laws,
we have left undone those things which we ought to have done,
and we have done those things which we ought not to have done.
But thou, O Lord, have mercy upon us,
spare thou those who confess their faults,
restore thou those who are penitent,
according to thy promises declared unto mankind
in Christ Jesus our Lord;
and grant, O most merciful Father, for his sake,
that we may hereafter live a godly, righteous, and sober life,
to the glory of thy holy Name. Amen.
[also option at Rite I Penitential Order before Mass]
The Almighty and merciful Lord grant you
absolution and remission of all your sins,
true repentance,
amendment of life,
and the grace and consolation of his Holy Spirit.
[also at Rite I Penitential Order before Mass]
The Rite II Office, Penitential Order, and Mass all use a new form of Invitation, Confession, and Absolution (this Confession is also optional at Rite I Masses):
Let us confess our sins against God and our neighbor.
Most merciful God,
we confess that we have sinned against you
in thought, word, and deed,
by what we have done,
and by what we have left undone.
We have not loved you with our whole heart;
we have not loved our neighbors as ourselves.
We are truly sorry and we humbly repent.
For the sake of your Son Jesus Christ,
have mercy on us and forgive us;
that we may delight in your will,
and walk in your ways,
to the glory of your Name. Amen.
[also option at Rite I Mass]
Almighty God have mercy on you,
forgive you all your sins through our Lord Jesus Christ,
strengthen you in all goodness,
and by the power of the Holy Spirit keep you in eternal life.
Most merciful God,
we confess that we have sinned against you
in thought, word, and deed,
by what we have done,
and by what we have left undone.
We have not loved you with our whole heart;
we have not loved our neighbors as ourselves.
We are truly sorry and we humbly repent.
For the sake of your Son Jesus Christ,
have mercy on us and forgive us;
that we may delight in your will,
and walk in your ways,
to the glory of your Name. Amen.
[also option at Rite I Mass]
Almighty God have mercy on you,
forgive you all your sins through our Lord Jesus Christ,
strengthen you in all goodness,
and by the power of the Holy Spirit keep you in eternal life.
I would like to focus for a moment on these two prayers of absolution. The Rite II text feels modern in content (not just style), the Rite I traditional, but it is clearly related to the Rite I Mass Absolution, and not only the Rite I Office Absolution but also the other two texts derive from the Sarum Rite (though there are important differences between the Rite II text and its Sarum antecedent, and certain difference between the Rite I Mass text and the Sarum, as can be seen by comparing them with the translation below), where they are used in conjunction at the mutual confession before Mass (celebrant and ministers of the altar) and at Prime and Compline (officiant and those in choir) in the Sarum Rite as mentioned above:
Confiteor Deo, beatae Mariae, omnibus sanctis, et vobis [tibi]; quia peccavi nimis, cogitatione, locutione, et opere: mea culpa: Precor sanctam Mariam, omnes sanctos Dei, et vos [te], orare pro me.
I confess to God, the Blessed Mary, and all the Saints, and to you [thee], that I have sinned exceedingly in thought, word, and deed, of my own fault. I beseech Holy Mary, all the Saints of God, and you [thee] to pray for me.
I confess to God, the Blessed Mary, and all the Saints, and to you [thee], that I have sinned exceedingly in thought, word, and deed, of my own fault. I beseech Holy Mary, all the Saints of God, and you [thee] to pray for me.
After each confession, the opposite party(ies) reply with this prayer:
Misereatur vestri [tui] omnipotens Deus, et dimittat vobis [tibi] omnia peccata vestra [tua]: liberet vos [te] ab omni malo; conservet et confirmet in bono; et ad vitam perducat aeternam. Amen.
Almighty God have mercy upon you [thee], and forgive you [thee] all your [thy] sins: free you [thee] from every evil; preserve and strengthen you [thee] in goodness, and lead you [thee] to eternal life.
Almighty God have mercy upon you [thee], and forgive you [thee] all your [thy] sins: free you [thee] from every evil; preserve and strengthen you [thee] in goodness, and lead you [thee] to eternal life.
Then the Priest offers this prayer of absolution:
Absolutionem et remissionem omnium peccatorum vestrorum, spatium verae poenitentiae, emendationem vitae, gratiam et consolationem Sancti Spiritus, tribua vobis omnipotens et misericors Dominus. Amen.
The Almighty and merciful Lord grant you absolution and remission of all your sins, opportunity for true repentance, amendment of life, and the grace and consolation of the Holy Spirit.
The Almighty and merciful Lord grant you absolution and remission of all your sins, opportunity for true repentance, amendment of life, and the grace and consolation of the Holy Spirit.
As mentioned previously, in the Roman Rite even this, which is truly seen as what it is at face value, i.e., a prayer that God will absolve one’s sins, does not replace the need for individual Confession and Absolution in the positive (indicative) form which is also found in bcp1979 –
Our Lord Jesus Christ,
who has left power to his Church to absolve all sinners
who truly repent and believe in him,
of his great mercy forgive you all your offenses;
and by his authority committed to me,
I absolve you from all your sins:
In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
[= bcp1549 Visitation of the Sick,
part from Hermann & part from Sarum Visitation]
(see below for the full forms of Confession and Absolution
at the Reconciliation of a Penitent)
who has left power to his Church to absolve all sinners
who truly repent and believe in him,
of his great mercy forgive you all your offenses;
and by his authority committed to me,
I absolve you from all your sins:
In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
[= bcp1549 Visitation of the Sick,
part from Hermann & part from Sarum Visitation]
(see below for the full forms of Confession and Absolution
at the Reconciliation of a Penitent)
– but, following ancient and Eastern use, the Episcopal Church also provides a precatory or subjunctive form for individual confession like those at public confession and does not require private confession for reception of the Sacrament.
It is not my purpose here to debate or decide in favor of private or public confession, or indicative or subjunctive absolution, as these are matters of custom and discipline, and faithful Christians have undoubtedly received forgiveness under many forms and perhaps under none. I do, however, suggest that the Rite II Absolution (or even the Rite I Mass Absolution) is incomplete without its Rite I Office complement, or at least that the things for which it prays cannot fully come to pass without those asked for in the Rite I text: for if, as in the faith and the Sacraments generally, forgiveness is a matter of some cooperation between the individual, the Church, and the Lord, nevertheless for that forgiveness to bear fruit (e.g. being strengthened in goodness and even being freed from evil), one ordinarily must seek repentance and amendment of life.
This point, which the classic formularies quoted above sought to emphasize, is unpacked beautifully in a brief article Alexander Schmemann wrote to explain the Orthodox liturgical practices of Lent, which ought equally to apply to Anglican observance in this season:
To understand the various liturgical particularities of the Lenten period, we must remember that they express and convey to us the spiritual meaning of Lent and are related to the central idea of Lent, to its function in the liturgical life of the Church. It is the idea of repentance. In the teaching of the Orthodox Church however, repentance means much more than a mere enumeration of sins and transgressions to the priest. Confession and absolution are but the result, the fruit, the ‘climax’ of true repentance. And, before this result can be reached, become truly valid and meaningful, one must make a spiritual effort, go through a long period of preparation and purification. Repentance, in the Orthodox acceptance of this word, means a deep, radical reëvaluation of our whole life, of all our ideas, judgments, worries, mutual relations, etc. It applies not only to some ‘bad actions’, but to the whole of life, and is a Christian judgment passed on it, on its basic presuppositions. At every moment of our life, but especially during Lent, the Church invites us to concentrate our attention on the ultimate values and goals, to measure ourselves by the criteria of Christian teaching, to contemplate our existence in its relation to God. This is repentance and it consists therefore, before everything else, in the acquisition of the Spirit of repentance, i.e., of a special state of mind, a special disposition of our conscience and spiritual vision.
The Lenten worship is thus a school of repentance. It teaches us what is repentance and how to acquire the spirit of repentance. It prepares us for and leads us to the spiritual regeneration without which ‘absolution’ remains meaningless. It is, in short, both teaching about repentance and the way of repentance. And, since there can be no real Christian life without repentance, without this constant ‘reëvaluation’ of life, the Lenten worship is an essential part of the liturgical tradition of the Church. The neglect of it, its reduction to a few purely formal obligations and customs, the deformation of its basic rules constitute one of the major deficiencies of our Church life today.
The Russian Orthodox Journal, March 1959, 6–8
The Lenten worship is thus a school of repentance. It teaches us what is repentance and how to acquire the spirit of repentance. It prepares us for and leads us to the spiritual regeneration without which ‘absolution’ remains meaningless. It is, in short, both teaching about repentance and the way of repentance. And, since there can be no real Christian life without repentance, without this constant ‘reëvaluation’ of life, the Lenten worship is an essential part of the liturgical tradition of the Church. The neglect of it, its reduction to a few purely formal obligations and customs, the deformation of its basic rules constitute one of the major deficiencies of our Church life today.
The Russian Orthodox Journal, March 1959, 6–8
Other forms of confession in the 1979 Prayer Book
Prayers of the people
Form I
For the absolution and remission of our sins and offenses,
let us pray to the Lord.
Form V
For ourselves;
for the forgiveness of our sins,
and for the grace of the Holy Spirit to amend our lives,
we pray to you, O Lord.
Form VI
Have mercy upon us, most merciful Father;
in your compassion forgive us our sins,
known and unknown,
things done and left undone;
and so uphold us by your Spirit
that we may live and serve you in newness of life,
to the honor and glory of your Name;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
(The Celebrant concludes with an absolution.)
Compline
Let us confess our sins to God.
Almighty God, our heavenly Father:
We have sinned against you,
through our own fault,
in thought, and word, and deed,
and in what we have left undone.
For the sake of your Son our Lord Jesus Christ,
forgive us all our offenses;
and grant that we may serve you
in newness of life,
to the glory of your Name. Amen.
May the Almighty God grant us forgiveness of all our sins,
and the grace and comfort of the Holy Spirit.
Ash wednesday
(introduction to Litany of Confession)
Most holy and merciful Father:
We confess to you and to one another,
and to the whole communion of saints
in heaven and on earth,
that we have sinned by our own fault
in thought, word, and deed;
by what we have done, and by what we have left undone.
Reconciliation of a penitent
Form I
The Lord be in your heart and upon your lips
that you may truly and humbly confess your sins:
In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
I confess to Almighty God, to his Church, and to you,
that I have sinned by my own fault
in thought, word, and deed,
in things done and left undone; especially __________ .
For these and all other sins which I cannot now remember,
I am truly sorry.
I pray God to have mercy on me.
I firmly intend amendment of life,
and I humbly beg forgiveness of God and his Church,
and ask you for counsel, direction, and absolution.
Our Lord Jesus Christ,
who has left power to his Church to absolve all sinners
who truly repent and believe in him,
of his great mercy forgive you all your offenses;
and by his authority committed to me,
I absolve you from all your sins:
In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
or
Our Lord Jesus Christ,
who offered himself to be sacrificed for us to the Father,
and who conferred power on his Church to forgive sins,
absolve you through my ministry by the grace of the Holy Spirit,
and restore you in the perfect peace of the Church. Amen.
[= modern Roman form]
Form II
Now, in the presence of Christ, and of me, his minister, confess your sins with a humble and obedient heart to Almighty God, our Creator and our Redeemer.
Holy God, heavenly Father,
you formed me from the dust in your image and likeness,
and redeemed me from sin and death
by the cross of your Son Jesus Christ.
Through the water of baptism
you clothed me with the shining garment of his righteousness,
and established me among your children in your kingdom.
But I have squandered the inheritance of your saints,
and have wandered far in a land that is waste.
Especially, I confess to you and to the Church...
Therefore, O Lord, from these and all other sins I cannot now remember,
I turn to you in sorrow and repentance.
Receive me again into the arms of your mercy,
and restore me to the blessed company of your faithful people;
through him in whom you have redeemed the world,
your Son our Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.
May Almighty God in mercy receive your confession of sorrow and of faith,
strengthen you in all goodness,
and by the power of the Holy Spirit keep you in eternal life. Amen.
(and then one of the two forms of Absolution above)
[This Prayer for Forgiveness is also used, in the first person plural,
at the Distribution of Communion by Lay Eucharistic Visitors]