Editing Absolution (section)

==Methodist Churches==

In the [[World Methodist Council|Methodist Church]], penance is defined by the [[Articles of Religion (Methodist)|Articles of Religion]] as one of those "Commonly called Sacraments but not to be counted for Sacraments of the Gospel", also known as the "[[Anglican sacraments|five lesser sacraments]]".<ref name="Blunt1891">{{cite book|last=Blunt|first=John Henry|title=Dictionary of Doctrinal and Historical Theology|year=1891|publisher=Longmans, Green & Co.|page=670}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last=Pruitt |first=Kenneth |date=22 November 2013 |title=Where The Line Is Drawn: Ordination and Sexual Orientation in the UMC |url=http://rethinkbishop.com/tag/the-united-methodist-church/ |url-status=usurped |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140428000914/http://rethinkbishop.com/tag/the-united-methodist-church/ |archive-date=28 April 2014 |access-date=27 April 2014 |publisher=Rethink Bishop |quote=Sacraments for the UMC include both Baptism and Eucharist. The Roman Catholic and Orthodox traditions count five more, which many Protestants, including the UMC, acknowledge as sacramental: Confession/Absolution, Holy Matrimony, Confirmation/Chrismation, Holy Orders/Ordination, and Anointing/Unction.}}</ref> [[John Wesley]], the founder of the Methodist Church, held "the validity of Anglican practice in his day as reflected in the [[Book of Common Prayer (1662)|1662 ''Book of Common Prayer'']]",<ref name="Underwood1992">{{cite book|last=Underwood|first=Ralph L.|title=Pastoral Care and the Means of Grace|date=1 October 1992|publisher=Fortress Press|isbn=9781451416466|page=76|quote=The reason is simply that Wesley assumed the validity of Anglican practice in his day as reflected in the 1662 ''Book of Common Prayer''. His later comments on the priestly office substantiate this. Just as preaching in the Methodist movement was not a substitute for Holy Communion, so for Wesley class meetings did not take the place of personal confession and absolution.}}</ref> stating that "We grant confession to men to be in many cases of use: public, in case of public scandal; private, to a spiritual guide for disburdening of the conscience, and as a help to repentance."<ref name="Wesley1882">{{cite book|last=Morris|first=F.O. |title=The Ghost of Wesley [extracts from his writings]|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Z8MHAAAAQAAJ&pg=PA10|access-date=27 April 2014|year=1882|page=10}}</ref> ''[[The United Methodist Book of Worship (1992)|The Book of Worship of The United Methodist Church]]'' contains the rite for private confession and absolution in ''A Service of Healing II'', in which the [[Elder (Methodism)|minister]] pronounces the words "In the name of Jesus Christ, you are forgiven!";<ref group=note>[http://www.umcdiscipleship.org/resources/a-service-of-healing-ii ''A Service of Healing II''], after the "Confession and Pardon", states "A Confession and Pardon from 474–94 or A Service of Word and Table V or UMH 890–93, or an appropriate psalm may be used." The words noted here are thus taken from page 52 of the ''Book of Worship'', which details the Service of Word and Table V, specifically the conclusion of the part of the rite titled "Confession and Pardon".</ref> some Methodist churches  have regularly scheduled auricular confession and absolution, while others make it available upon request.<ref>{{cite book|last=Langford|first=Andy|title=The United Methodist Book of Worship|date=1 October 1992|publisher=Abingdon Press|isbn=0687035724|url-access=registration|url=https://archive.org/details/churchofperfects0000unse}}</ref> Confession in the Methodist Churches is practiced through [[penitent band]]s that meet on Saturdays; from the inception of Methodism, these are designed to provide spiritual direction to people who are [[backsliding]].<ref name="Burnett2006">{{cite book|last=Burnett|first=Daniel L.|title=In the Shadow of Aldersgate: An Introduction to the Heritage and Faith of the Wesleyan Tradition|date=15 March 2006|publisher=Wipf and Stock Publishers|language=English|isbn=9781621899808|page=57}}</ref><ref name="Malony2012">{{cite book|last=Malony|first=H. Newton |title=The Amazing John Wesley: An Unusual Look at an Uncommon Life|date=4 February 2012|publisher=InterVarsity Press|language=English|isbn=9780830858521|page=57}}</ref> Since Methodism holds the [[Power of the Keys|office of the keys]] to "belong to all baptized persons", private confession does not necessarily need to be made to a [[Elder (Methodism)|pastor]], and therefore [[lay confession]] is permitted, although this is not the norm.<ref name="Belton2010">{{cite book |author=Joyner, Jr. |first=F. Belton |title=The Unofficial United Methodist Handbook |date=1 September 2010 |publisher=Abingdon Press |isbn=9781426724961 |page=102 |quote=Confession is an "office of the keys" (see Matthew 16:19) belong to all baptized persons, that is, anyone may confess and any believer may pronounce the word of forgiveness. A declaration of forgiveness is permanent and binding because it comes from Jesus Christ himself.}}</ref>

Near the time of death, many Methodists confess their [[Christian views on sin|sins]] and receive absolution from an ordained minister, in addition to being [[Anointing of the Sick|anointed]].<ref name="Schwass2005">{{cite book|last=Schwass|first=Margot|title=Last Words: Approaches to Death in New Zealand's Cultures and Faiths|year=2005|publisher=Bridget Williams Books|isbn=9781877242342|page=130|quote=Occasionally, they may ask the minister to anoint them, hear their confession or absolve them of sin. (In fact, confession and absolution do not have to be done by an ordained minister: one of the cornerstones of Methodism is 'every member is a minister'.) Wherever necessary, the minister encourages the dying person to seek reconciliation with and forgiveness from family members or friends.}}</ref> In Methodism, the minister is bound by the [[Seal of the Confessional and the Anglican Church|Seal of the Confessional]], with ''[[Book of Discipline (United Methodist)|The Book of Discipline]]'' stating "All clergy of The United Methodist Church are charged to maintain all confidences inviolate, including confessional confidences"; any confessor who divulges information revealed in confession is subject to being [[defrocked]] in accordance with [[canon law]].<ref>{{cite news|title=1996 Discipline ¶ 332|work=General Conference 2000|publisher=The United Methodist Church|quote=5. All clergy of The United Methodist Church are charged to maintain all confidences inviolate, including confessional confidences.}}</ref> As with Lutheranism, in the Methodist tradition, corporate confession is the most common practice, with the Methodist liturgy including "prayers of confession, assurance and pardon".<ref name=Interpreter/> The traditional confession of ''The Sunday Service'', the first liturgical text used by Methodists, comes from the service of [[Morning Prayer (Anglican)|Morning Prayer]] in ''[[The Book of Common Prayer]]''.<ref name="Interpreter">{{cite web |last=Hickman |first=Hoyt |year=2014 |title=Prayers of Confession |url=http://www.interpretermagazine.org/interior_print.asp?ptid=43&mid=11021&pagemode=print |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140428010514/http://www.interpretermagazine.org/interior_print.asp?ptid=43&mid=11021&pagemode=print |archive-date=28 April 2014 |access-date=27 April 2014 |work=Interpreter Magazine |publisher=The United Methodist Church}}</ref> The confession of one's sin is particularly important before receiving [[Holy Communion]]; the official United Methodist publication about the Eucharist titled ''This Holy Mystery'' states that:
{{Blockquote|We respond to the invitation to the Table by immediately confessing our personal and corporate sin, trusting that, “If we confess our sins, He who is faithful and just will forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9). Our expression of repentance is answered by the absolution in which forgiveness is proclaimed: “In the name of Jesus Christ, you are forgiven!”<ref>{{cite book|title=This Holy Mystery: A United Methodist Understanding of Holy Communion|date=1 April 2005|publisher=The United Methodist Church|isbn=088177457X|page=9}}</ref>}}
Many Methodists, like other Protestants, regularly practice confession of their sin to God Himself, holding that "When we do confess, our fellowship with the Father is restored. He extends His parental forgiveness. He cleanses us of all unrighteousness, thus removing the consequences of the previously unconfessed sin. We are back on track to realise the best plan that He has for our lives."<ref>{{cite web |author=Bishop Dr. Wee Boon Hup |date=6 September 2013 |title=Must I confess my sins? |url=http://www.methodist.org.sg/index.php/home/bishops-message/1344-must-i-confess-my-sins |access-date=27 April 2014 |publisher=The Methodist Church in Singapore}}</ref>