Now, For Something Completely Different

[IACOBVS]

I am not making comment upon the rights or wrongs of the listed items or upon confession, but I am just pointing out that one of the reasons the Protestants split from the RC church was the use and abuse of the confessional by RC priests.

And yes I have experienced this personally. But obviously much later than the reformation.

Pete from Peterborough UK

Plenty of Protestants use the confessional. It is quite often used by some Anglicans and Lutherans. It is more unifying than some may think.

 

[Confessional Lutheran]

Plenty of Protestants use the confessional. It is quite often used by some Anglicans and Lutherans. It is more unifying than some may think.

Exactly right. I make an appointment for Private Confession at least once every couple of months. It truly is a wonderful blessing and I'm glad that the Lutheran Reformers retained it.

 

[Lamb]

Exactly right. I make an appointment for Private Confession at least once every couple of months. It truly is a wonderful blessing and I'm glad that the Lutheran Reformers retained it.

It's often misunderstood by many. It's not that anyone HAS to go to private confession and be legalistic about it

 

[Confessional Lutheran]

It's often misunderstood by many. It's not that anyone HAS to go to private confession and be legalistic about it

Understood. I still just like to do it and my Pastor is very good about keeping the appointments and giving me good pastoral advice.

 

[Lamb]

Understood. I still just like to do it and my Pastor is very good about keeping the appointments and giving me good pastoral advice.

Does your pastor have a separate area for private confessions or is it just done in the sanctuary?

 

[Confessional Lutheran]

Does your pastor have a separate area for private confessions or is it just done in the sanctuary?

His office.

 

[MoreCoffee]

His office.

Our priest has a room for confession, it is behind the baptistery in the sanctuary.

 

[Confessional Lutheran]

Our priest has a room for confession, it is behind the baptistery in the sanctuary.

When I was a Catholic with Vaticanish affinities, the church I attended had four confessionals around the main sanctuary. Every Saturday, there were some seriously long lines to each one of those confessionals. It only got a little embarrassing when the fellow making his confession began to get a little.. err.. loud. Everybody had to back away ( for obvious reasons. Protestant or Catholic, we all know that what is said in the confessional stays there). Now that my Catholicism is more to the Evangelical sort, privacy is guaranteed and it's always face to face, no screen to conceal either priest or penitent.

 

[Tigger]

Understood. I still just like to do it and my Pastor is very good about keeping the appointments and giving me good pastoral advice.

Right, I use it more for pastorial advice the absolution is just icing on the cake for me.

 

[MoreCoffee]

When I was a Catholic with Vaticanish affinities, the church I attended had four confessionals around the main sanctuary. Every Saturday, there were some seriously long lines to each one of those confessionals. It only got a little embarrassing when the fellow making his confession began to get a little.. err.. loud. Everybody had to back away ( for obvious reasons. Protestant or Catholic, we all know that what is said in the confessional stays there). Now that my Catholicism is more to the Evangelical sort, privacy is guaranteed and it's always face to face, no screen to conceal either priest or penitent.

The room has no screen but there is a panel that a person can stay behind if they do not want to confess face to face. I prefer face to face, naturally I do not know what other people do because it is private and pretty much sound proof

 

[Confessional Lutheran]

The room has no screen but there is a panel that a person can stay behind if they do not want to confess face to face. I prefer face to face, naturally I do not know what other people do because it is private and pretty much sound proof

Ah, modern technology! I'm sure that the churches in Australia are a lot more modern than the wood and stone ( and brick and concrete) facades that we have here.

 

[MoreCoffee]

Ah, modern technology! I'm sure that the churches in Australia are a lot more modern than the wood and stone ( and brick and concrete) facades that we have here.

The confession room is made of stone, the whole church is but it is reconstituted sand stone for the most part. The walls are fairly thick and sound proof except where there are windows and doors.