Perfect Contrition

Discussion in 'Faith, Devotion & Formation' started by David, Jun 10, 2021.

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  1. David

    David Member Anglican

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    Evening Bretherin

    Hope all are well in the group.

    My question is thus...our Anglican stance on contrition...

    When can it be deemed salvific...I.e. perfect as the RC say.

    When one prays they are sorry but feels numb in the heart...is he saved without priestly absolution?

    God bless.
     
  2. bwallac2335

    bwallac2335 Well-Known Member

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    Perfect or imperfect contrition is a Roman contrivance. All you need is to feel sorry for your sins. From what I understand you can be forgiven when you pray to God but you are assured of it when it is announced after the general confession during the absolution. All you need to do is feel contrition and want to repent and do what is right.
     
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  3. PDL

    PDL Well-Known Member Anglican

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    My understanding of Anglican theology, flawed as it is (my understanding not the theology), is that we can be forgiven our sins by what the RCs call perfect contrition. This is because that latter is used by RCs when they cannot get to confession. There are two schools of thought on what is variously called absolution, confession, penance, and reconciliation among Anglicans. Those of us in Anglo-Catholicism consider it to be one of the seven sacraments. At the opposite end of our Anglican spectrum Evangelicals deny it is a sacrament. Those inbetween veer towards one or the other of these views.

    If you accept that it is not a sacrament and you confess to God and you are realy sorry and firmly intend to amend your life you will be forgiven. That is not the same thing as perfect contrition in the sense we do not have it in Anglicanism. But, it seems to me in practice to be the same.

    Officially, in the C of E at least, individual confession with a priest is available. However, the Church does not teach that it is essential. Therefore, you can be forgiven your sins without individual sacramental absolution from a priest and going to confession is not necessary for your salvation.

    I think, therefore, it has to be a matter of your own conscience. I personally believe Penance is a sacrament. I do go to confession. It may be a belt and braces job but I do not think my soul will be in jeopardy because I use this facility. It means I am less concerned about my salvation by going.

    My personal take on Penance, which I accept may be quite flawed, is this. When I am ill I go to see a doctor and if he prescribes me a course of treatment I take it. If my soul is sick because I have sinned then I think it perfectly appropriate to approach a priest and confess my sins. I consider the absoluion to be the medicine he dispenses. Just as my GP does not make me better but rather the drug itself I know the priest does not take away my sins. His words of absolution are the prescription. It is God who forgives my sins (the medicine). And, if I am not genuinely sorry for my sins and have no firm resolve not to repeat them I am unlikely to be forgiven by God just as the medicine prescribed my the GP won't work unless I take it.
     
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  4. bwallac2335

    bwallac2335 Well-Known Member

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    In my understanding of Anglican Confession theology is that the General Confession and Absolution were to take place of private confession unless you just could not stop your conscious from tormenting yourself. If you are sorry for your sins and you say the general confession and then the priest announces absolution you are forgiven. You can trace the evolution of this in our prayer books. I believe in the 1549 BCP it says not to be upset with those who make use of the general confession and not to be upset with those who make use of private confession. The 1662 makes it that almost all will use the general confession as it is now our normative form but private confession is there for those who need it.
     
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