What is Individual Confession?
I recently had a parent of one of our Confirmation students ask me a question about something they read in their student’s weekly Take-Home sheet. They asked:
What is this “Individual Confession and Absolution?” Is that something we’re required to do?
And that’s a great question, especially since it’s not something actually practiced in most Lutheran congregations these days. (Spoiler: it should be!)
Corporate Confession
All of us are familiar with the practice of “Corporate Confession and Absolution,” which is how we open most worship services at Our Savior’s. Here, the word Corporate means “as a body,” that is, as a congregation we confess our sins together, saying something like:
Most merciful God, we confess that we are captive to sin and cannot free ourselves. 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. For the sake of your Son, Jesus Christ, have mercy on us. Forgive us, renew us, and lead us, so that we may delight in your will and walk in your ways, to the glory of your holy name. Amen.
This confession of sins is followed by a statement of Absolution, where I (as your pastor) declare the forgiveness of God to you. As Lutherans, we believe that the church, acting through the pastor, exercises the “Office of the Keys” given by Jesus in Matthew 16:19 and John 20:22-23 to forgive sins.
Individual Confession
What if your conscience still troubles you? What if you’re not confident that your sin, in particular, is forgiven? That’s where the practice of Individual Confession and Absolution comes in. You can come and confess your sin to your pastor and receive personal assurance of God’s forgiveness. This is a great gift to soothe troubled consciences!
But wait, I hear you thinking, isn’t that Catholic? It’s true that the Roman Catholic Church has retained the practice of Individual Confession much more prominently than we have. But Lutherans still have this practice, and it doesn’t lose its value through our lack of use.
However, when we practice Individual Confession, we don’t have a special confessional booth. Instead, we practice Individual Confession at the altar rail.
Martin Luther included a short form of individual confession in the Small Catechism, and every hymnal from every English-speaking Lutheran denomination in the world includes a form of it. Here’s a form of Individual Confession from our hymnal: (p. 243)
Pastor: In the name of the Father, and of the + Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Penitent: Amen.
Pastor: You have come to make confession before God. You are free to confess before me, a pastor in the church of Christ, sins of which you are aware and which trouble you.
Penitent: Merciful God, I confess that I have sinned in thought, word, and deed, by what I have done and by what I have left undone.
Here the penitent may confess sins that are known and that burden her/him.
Penitent: I repent of all my sins, known and unknown. I am truly sorry, and I pray for forgiveness. I firmly intend to amend my life, and to seek help in mending what is broken. I ask for strength to turn from sin and to serve you in newness of life.
The pastor may engage the penitent in conversation, sharing admonition, counsel, and comfort from the scriptures.
Pastor: Cling to this promise: the word of forgiveness I speak to you comes from God.
NAME, in obedience to the command of our Lord Jesus Christ, I forgive you all your sins in the name of the Father, and of the + Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Penitent: Amen.
Pastor: The peace of God, which passes all understanding, keep your heart and your mind in Christ Jesus.
Penitent: Amen.
Important to remember:
What you share in Individual Confession is just as protected by legal privilege and a pastor’s pledge in ordination as it would be in confessing to a Roman Catholic priest.
Individual Confession is not required. It is available to you as a source of comfort.
If your conscience is troubled by sin, and you need reassurance of the forgiveness of sins through Jesus Christ, I strongly encourage you to approach me (or another faithful pastor of Christ’s church) for Individual Confession and Absolution.
