Editing Absolution (section)

==Lutheran Churches==
{{main|Confession in the Lutheran Church}}
[[File:Luther-kirkko, rippituoli.jpg|thumb|left|220px|An Evangelical Lutheran confessional in [[:fi:Luther-kirkko (Helsinki)|Luther Church]] ([[Helsinki]], Finland); the ''[[Augsburg Confession]]'' divides repentance into two parts: "One is contrition, that is, terrors smiting the conscience through the [[Law and Gospel#The Book of Concord|knowledge of sin]]; the other is faith, which is born of the Gospel, or of [[#Lutheran Churches|absolution]], and believes that for Christ's sake, sins are forgiven, comforts the conscience, and delivers it from terrors."<ref>[http://www.bookofconcord.org/augsburgconfession.php#article12 Augsburg Confession, Article XII: Of Repentance]</ref>]]
Luther's earliest writings speak of baptism, eucharist, and absolution as three distinct sacraments and in his later works he wrote of absolution also being an extension of the forgiveness expressed and experienced in the sacrament of baptism. The 1529 [[Luther's Large Catechism|Large Catechism]] (and therefore also the 1580 [[Book of Concord]]) thus speaks of absolution as "the third Sacrament", stating "And here you see that Baptism, both in its power and signification, comprehends also ''the third Sacrament'', which has been called repentance, as it is really nothing else than Baptism. For what else is repentance but an earnest attack upon the old man (that his lusts be restrained) and entering upon a new life?"<ref name=route>{{cite web |url = http://bookofconcord.org/lc-6-baptism.php#para74 |title = Holy Baptism |publisher = The Book of Concord |access-date = 27 August 2018 |archive-date = 23 February 2020 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20200223161712/http://www.bookofconcord.org/lc-6-baptism.php#para74 |url-status = dead }}</ref> [[Martin Luther]] praised the practice of confession, and described it as a sacrament in the 1529 exhortation,<ref>{{cite web |url = http://bookofconcord.org/exhortationConfession.php |title = A brief admonition to confession |publisher = bookofconcord.org |access-date = 27 August 2018 }}</ref> also writing "Here we should also speak about confession, which we retain and praise as something useful and beneficial".<ref>{{cite web |url = https://academic.cphblogs.com/new/luther-on-confession-and-absolution/ |title = Luther on Confession and Absolution |year = 2014 |publisher = Concordia Academic |access-date = 27 August 2018 |archive-date = 28 August 2018 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20180828001814/https://academic.cphblogs.com/new/luther-on-confession-and-absolution/ |url-status = dead }}</ref>

Today [[Lutheranism|Lutheran]]s practice "confession and absolution" in two forms. They, like Roman Catholics, see {{Bibleverse||James|5:16|NIV}} and {{Bibleverse||John|20:22-23|NIV}} as biblical evidence for confession.<ref name="small cat.">''Luther's Small Catechism with Explanation''</ref> The first form of confession and absolution is done at the [[Divine Service (Lutheran)|Divine Service]] with the assembled congregation (similar to the [[Anglican]] tradition). Here, the entire congregation pauses for a moment of silent confession, recites the ''[[confiteor]]'', and receives God's forgiveness through the pastor as he says the following (or similar): "Upon this your confession and in the stead and by the command of my Lord Jesus Christ, I forgive you all your sins in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit."<ref>(''[[Lutheran Service Book]], Divine Service I'')</ref>

The second form of confession and absolution is known as "[[Holy Absolution]]", which is done privately to the pastor (commonly only upon request). Here the person confessing (known as the "[[penitent]]") confesses his individual sins and makes an [[Act of Contrition#Lutheran version|act of contrition]] as the pastor, acting [[in persona Christi]], announces this following formula of absolution (or similar): "In the stead and by the command of my Lord Jesus Christ I forgive you all your sins in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit."<ref>(''[[Lutheran Service Book]], Individual Confession and Absolution'')</ref> In the Lutheran Church, the pastor is bound by the [[Seal of the Confessional and the Lutheran Church|Seal of the Confessional]] (similar to the Roman Catholic tradition). [[Luther's Small Catechism]] says "the pastor is pledged not to tell anyone else of sins told him in private confession, for those sins have been removed".<ref>Small Catechism</ref>

At the present time, it is, for example, expected before partaking of the [[Eucharist]] for the [[First Communion|first]] time.<ref>''[[Apology of the Augsburg Confession]]'', article 24, paragraph 1. Retrieved 2010-06-06.</ref> Many Lutherans receive the sacrament of penance before partaking of the Eucharist.<ref name="Richard1909">{{cite book|last=Richard|first=James William|title=The Confessional History of the Lutheran Church|url=https://archive.org/details/cu31924084658248|year=1909|publisher=Lutheran Publication Society|language=en |page=[https://archive.org/details/cu31924084658248/page/n128 113]|quote=In the Lutheran Church, private confession was at first ''voluntary''. Later, in portions of the Lutheran Church, it was made obligatory, as a test of orthodoxy, and as a preparation of the Lord's Supper.}}</ref><ref name="Kolb2008">{{cite book |last=Kolb |first=Robert |title=Lutheran Ecclesiastical Culture: 1550–1675 |publisher=[[Brill Publishers]] |year=2008 |isbn=9789004166417 |page=282 |language=en |quote=The North German church ordinances of the late 16th century all include a description of private confession and absolution, which normally took place at the conclusion of Saturday afternoon vespers, and was a requirement for all who desired to commune the following day.}}</ref>
[[File:ArticleXIOfConfession.JPG|209px|thumb|"Private Absolution ought to be retained in the churches, although in confession an enumeration of all sins is not necessary."—''[[Augsburg Confession]]'', Article 9]]