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100
Why Reconciliation?
The Church realises at every human person can sin in their life, and as the Catholic Church were unable to rebaptise those who sinned. Batism was accepting and coming into the religion, it is when God takes you in, therefore you are unable to be rebaptised as God does not let go of you to come back to him. -
100
Bishop decides (early church)
The bishop decided what penance should be imposed, according to the severity of the sin. He officially reconciled the penitent at the penitential process. -
100
God liberated us from sin through the death and resurrection of this son (Early years)
The letter of James tells the Christians to admit their sins to one another and to pray for one another for healing -
Period: 100 to
History of Reconciliation
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200
2nd-6th century - Cononical Penance
Acts of murder, adultery, and apostasy offended the Church’s self-understanding as the Body of Christ and a community of holiness. Those who committed these sins were publicly enrolled in the order of penitent and excluded from the Eucharist for a time. This could only be receive once in a life time. 3rd century - the sacrament of penance as reconciliation first emerged in a recognizable form. -
251
251 - Pope Cornelius
Extended the range of forgiveable sins -
300
3rd century - the sacrament of penance as reconciliation first emerged in a recognizable form
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325
325 AD - The council of Nicaea
Put the forgiveness of grave sins under the authority of the bishops.
The sacrament in the fourth century was a public, communal action of reconciliation that led to a lasting change of heart, involved the whole community, and was presided over by the bishop. -
Jan 1, 600
6th century - Irish and Anglo-Saxon monks spread “monastic” practice of penance.
It involved: Private confession to a spiritual father or motherReception of an appropriate penance with the goal of restoring the balance of the “moral universe” instead of reconciliation with the community Private prayer of pardon or blessing after the penance was completed -
Aug 16, 650
650 AD - Council of Chalons-sur-Saone
Approved Celic monastic practice, tired to establish episcopal control over it. The severity of penance lead to fewer Christians practicing sacramental penance. -
Aug 16, 700
7th cuntury - Confession
During the 7th century Irish missionaries brought Celtic penance to Europe, and it eventually became “Confession.” In this expression of the sacrament, confession was to a priest who had the power to give absolution. Penance for the sinner was reduced. -
Aug 16, 1200
12th century - Peter Lombard defined the sacraments as seven and listed the 4th penance as the sacrament of penance which is the privet repeatable sacrament he knew.
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Aug 16, 1215
1215 AD - Fourth Lateran Council
All who had “reached the age of discretion should at least once a year faithfully confess all the sins in secret to their own priest” and receive communion. Sanctions were not to break the seal of confession and if so they were to be deposed from his priestly office. -
Aug 16, 1439
1439 - Council of Florence
Defined what the sacrament of penance involved: 1- Contrition of heart including sorrow for committing the sin and resolve not to sin again. 2 - Oral confession for sins that are remembered. 3 - Satisfaction for sins assigned by the priest ordinarily done by prayer, fasting and almsgiving. The form of the sacrament are the words of absolution “I absolve you”. The minister of the sacrament is a priest with the authority to absolve. -
Aug 16, 1551
1551 - Council of Trent
Pushed an extreme non-communal, individualistic approach to the sacramental right of penance to effect reconciliation with God in response to the Reformers claim that sinners should renew baptismal justification by interior conversion: 2 kinds if contrition - “perfect” or “sorrow of the soul and detestation of the sin committed together with the resolve to sin no more”. Distinguished between what the sacrament required of the faithful and what it did not. -
17th - 19th century- Dialogue between penitent and pastor
Dialogue between penitent and pastor causing breakdown of small parish and growth of parish in modern time. Changed by being shorter meeting anonymously with unknown priest in dark box to get absolution. -
1964 - The second Vatican Council
Document Lumen Gentium emphasised that in addition to receiving pardon for their sins, penitents are reconciled with the Church which they have “wounded by their sins.” Sacramental penance reconciles sinners with God and with the Church community. -
1973 - Ordo Paenitentae
Pope Paul VI in his document Ordo Paenitentiae (Order of Penance), introduced the new name “Sacrament of Reconciliation “ -
1974 - Rite of Penance
The Church “possesses both water and tears: the water of baptism, the tears of penance” -
5th century - Augustine
Distinguished three kinds of reconciliation with God through the Church:
1- The remission of all previous sin through baptism
2- The daily remission through prayer and fasting of “light and small sins”
3- The formal one-time remission of deadly and serious sin through public penance -
589 AD - Third council of Toledo
Tried to maintain the old system of reconciliation, and rejected the Celtic monastic practice.