CONFESSION

CONFESSION. The complex topic of confession is complicated by terminological difficulties, for example, its relationship to apostasy, repentance, and sin (qq.v.), and its history as a sacrament (q.v.) within the Church. Although it may be convenient to divide the subject into three subtopics, confession of sins, confession of faith, and confession in relation to spiritual guidance, the three items are probably all aspects of one topic.

The case for a negative confession of sins, which must necessarily be complemented by a positive confession of faith, is the understanding of a particular biblical worldview. In both Hebrew and Greek “to sin” means “to miss the mark,” that “mark” being God. “Confess” in Hebrew is a form of the verb “to shoot,” thus “to hit the mark, i.e., God.” “To confess” in Greek is “to speak out, publish, divulge.” Although one can find instances of confession of sins by itself in the Old Testament (Ps 32:5; 38:18), the case for confession of sins with an accompanying positive confession of faith is also found. For example, a confession of sins is a necessary precedent for sacrifice (Lev 5:5; Ps. 51); and the “Great Confession” accompanies the reading of the Law and the covenant to support God’s house (Neh 9). Similarly, in the New Testament one may find simple confession for repentance (Mk l:4f; 1Jn l:8f.) or the (negative) confession of sins (Mt 3:4), which is followed by the (positive) reception of the Holy Spirit (Mt 4:11) or of healing (Jas 5:16).

The most familiar New Testament citation of confession is the solely positive one, the confession of Jesus as Lord, the Christ, and so on. Represented par excellence by Peter’s words at Caesarea Philippi, this helps form the centerpiece of the three Synoptic Gospels (confession, Cross-Resurrection, Transfiguration), as well as a major theme forced back onto the reader by the Gospel of John: Who is Jesus? In the apostolic Church it describes the profession of faith made by a martyr (2Cor 9:13; 1Tim 6:13). Although it might go unnoticed, the theme of Peter’s confession in the Gospels is later offset by his three denials of Jesus during his trial. Peter is nonetheless a principal witness of the resurrected Lord; and John’s Gospel balances Peter’s three sinful denials with three affirmations of his love (21:15f.). The denials of Peter naturally lead to an investigation of apostasy (q.v.), which is the opposite of a positive confession of faith, and should be consulted before proceeding to sacramental confession.

Historical developments in the early Church considered to be formative to the sacrament of confession are many. Both the question of the Lapsi (Latin: “the fallen”) in the mid-3rd c. and the Donatist Schism (q.v.) in North Africa in the early 4th c. were important events that focused on the appropriate confession of faith for those who had denied Christ under persecution. Many local councils, often comprised of Christians who had been crippled or lost friends and family during imperial persecutions, legislated on the equity of accepting back into the Church members who had fallen away during persecution. The legislation of local councils continued on into the seven Ecumenical Councils (q.v.), and became associated with the Eucharist (q.v.) when the penitential ranks were institutionalized and assigned a place approaching, but not participating in, the Holy Mysteries (sacraments).

During this same period asceticism and monasticism (q.v.) flourished publicly, and with it came selfless obedience and spiritual direction. As early as Antony (q.v.) and the ascetics of the desert, we witness a profound sensitivity toward obeying a spiritual guide who is capable of identifying the signposts of the way (q.v.) of the Lord, the spiritual journey of the wayfarer, the pilgrim. Over the centuries the parish tradition of liturgical confession in preparation for the Eucharist and the monastic tradition of spiritual direction were combined. In Greek such a confessor/director is called a geron and in Russian, a starets. Although the two functions of liturgical confessor and spiritual director are entirely separable, a combination of the two is considered a great gift. A well-known Russian spiritual father of the 19th c. was Fr. Joh n of Kronstadt, and of the 20th c. Fr. Alexander Elchaninov (qq.v.).

The liturgical service of sacramental confession in the Orthodox Church, though popularly associated with the confession of sins, still has as its focus the confession of faith-namely the Nicene-Constantinopolitan Creed (q.v.). It is notably devoid of the classical ego ab-solvo (“I absolve thee”) found in corresponding Western liturgy (q.v.) (except in a version of the Russian service); and is taken in form to be a public, rather than private, service. When administered privately, which is usually the case, the service is performed en face with the priest and penitent both standing before the Gospel and Cross, the priest standing as a witness for the whole Church.