Penance and Absolution

Introduction 9 I. The Virtue of Penance 11 Introduction 11 The Meaning of Penance 11 The Virtue of Penance 12 Necessity of Penance 13 When is it Necessary? 14 False Views of Penance 15 Relation Between the Virtue of Penance and the Sacrament 15 Penance before Christ 16 II. The Power of the Keys in Holy Scripture 19 The Church’s Doctrine 19 Christ Forgave Sins 20 The Power Promised 21 The Power Conferred 24 St Paul and the Corinthians 26 Objections Considered 27 III. The Power of the Keys in Tradition 30 The Argument from Tradition 30 Some Preliminary Evidence 31 The Apostolic Fathers 32 The Didache 33 St Clement of Rome 34 “Second Clement” 34 St Ignatius of Antioch 35 St Polycarp of Smyrna 35 The Shepherd of Hermas 36 Clement of Alexandria 38 Tertullian 38 Hippolytus 41 The Decian Persecution and Novatian 42 End of Rigorism 43 Council of Elvira 43 Council of Arles 44 St Peter of Alexandria 44 Council of Nicaea 45 IV. Penance is a Sacramental Rite Distinct from Baptism 46 The Second Plank 46 Penance a Sacrament 47 Penance Distinct from Baptism 48 V. The Matter of the Sacrament: Contrition 50 The Matter and Form of Penance 50 The Meaning of Contrition 52 Two Kinds of Contrition 54 Meaning of Attrition 54 Efficacy of Perfect Contrition 55 Value of Attrition 55 The Church’s Practice 57 Is Fear Sufficient? 58 Is Love Required? 59 Characteristics of Contrition 60 The Purpose of Amendment 62 VI. The Matter of the Sacrament: Confession 65 What is Confession? 65 Obligation to Confess 65 Tradition and Confession 66 The Public Administration of Penance 69 The Gelasian Sacramentary 71 Private Penance 74 The Change from Public to Private Penance 78 VII. The Matter of the Sacrament: Satisfaction 80 Meaning of Satisfaction 80 The Church’s Teaching 81 Works of Penance 84 Benefits of Satisfaction 85 The Confessor’s Duty 86 VIII. The Form of the Sacrament 88 The Words of the Form 88 What is Essential? 89 Manner of Absolving 90 IX. The Effects of the Sacrament of Penance 96 Reconciliation with God 96 Penance Forgives Sin 97 Penance Forgives All Sins 99 The Revival of Merits 100 Forgiveness of Venial Sins 103 X. The Necessity of the Sacrament of Penance 105 Baptism and Penance 105 Early Teaching 107 The Early Scholastics 107 Peter Abelard 109 Hugh of St Victor 109 Peter Lombard 110 Alexander of Hales and Bonaventure 111 John Duns Scotus (c. 1264-1308) 112 The Fourth Lateran Council 112 How Does the Law Bind? 114 When Does the Divine Precept Bind? 115 XI. The Minister of the Sacrament 117 Priests Alone the Ministers 117 Bishops not the Sole Ministers 118 Confession made to Deacons 119 Necessity of Jurisdiction 121 Ordination not Enough 122 When the Church Supplies Jurisdiction 123 Granting of Jurisdiction 125 Limit of Jurisdiction 126 The Seal of Confession 127 The Reservation of Sins 130 XII. The Subject of the Sacrament 133 Who are the Subjects? 133 What Intention is Required? 134 Necessity for Faith and Probity 135 Sins to be Confessed? 135 XIII. The Question of Indulgences 137 The Word “Indulgence” 137 What is an Indulgence? 138 Brief History of Indulgences 142 From the Beginning to the Sixth or Seventh Centuries 143 From the Seventh to the Eleventh Centuries 144 From the Eleventh to the Fifteenth Centuries 146 From the Fifteenth Century to the Council of Trent 148 Various Kinds of Indulgences 149 The Authority for Granting Indulgences 152 The Conditions for Gaining Indulgences 153 Select Bibliography 158