Everything about Penance totally explained
Penance is repentance of
sins as well as the proper name of the
Catholic and
Orthodox Christian Sacrament of Penance and Reconciliation/Confession. The word
penance derives from
Old French and
Latin poenitentia, both of which derive from the same root meaning repentance, the desire to be forgiven; (in English see (
contrition)). Penance and repentance, similar in their derivation and original sense, have come to symbolize conflicting views of the essence of repentance, arising from the controversy as to the respective merits of "faith" and "good works." Word derivations occur in many languages.
Sacramental penance
In a sacramental understanding of the term, "penance" applies to the whole activity from confession to absolution. Generally speaking, however, it's used to characterize the works of satisfaction imposed or recommended by the priest on or to the penitent. Traditionally, penance has been viewed as a punishment (the Latin
poena, the root of pen(it)ance, means "punishment"), and varying with the character and heinousness of the offences committed. In the feudal era "doing penance" often involved severe and/or public discipline, which could be both harsh and humiliating but was considered edifying. Public penances have, however, long been abolished. Traditional forms still include prayers, while corporal punishments such as the wearing of a
cilice and
public humiliations have become rare, even in monastic practice. More recently, taking in account the insights of pastoral theology and psychology, penances have tended to move towards acts that positively or negatively
reinforce the penitent's behaviour.
"Penance" also refers to acts that a believer imposes on him- or herself outside of the sacramental context. Penitential activity is particularly common during the season of
Lent and
Holy Week (mainly the Passion week, inspired by Christ's suffering; hence in some cultural traditions still including
flagellantism or even voluntary
crucifixion) and, to a lesser extent,
Advent, when penance is often combined with acts of self-discipline, such as
fasting, voluntary
celibacy, or other privations. In the Roman Catholic tradition especially, such acts of self-injury are sometimes called
mortification of the flesh because of the belief that an unrestrained corporeal body endangers
salvation, unless controlled by the spirit, serving to detach the penitent of his worldly passions, as to draw him into closer union with God.
Roman Catholicism
In the Catholic Church, the
sacrament of Penance consists of three parts:
contritio, confessio and
satisfactio.
Contritio is in fact repentance as Protestant theologians understand it, for example love of God causing sorrow for sins committed, and long before the Reformation the schoolmen debated the question whether complete "contrition" was or wasn't in itself sufficient to obtain the Divine pardon. The
Council of Trent decided, however, that no reconciliation could follow such contrition without the other parts of the sacrament, which form part of it (
sine sacramenti voto, quod in ilia indudatur). Contrition is also distinguished from "attrition" (
attritio), for example amoral repentance due to fear of punishment. It was questioned whether a state of mind thus produced would suffice for obtaining the benefits of the sacrament; this point was also set at rest by the Council of Trent, which decided that attrition, though not in itself capable of obtaining the justification of the sinner, is also inspired by God and thus disposes the soul to benefit by the grace of the sacrament.
In this Sacrament, the penitent (repentant sinner, known as confessant) accuses himself of his sins to an ordained
priest (known as confessor). The priest may then offer advice and imposes a particular penance to be performed. The penitent then prays an
Act of Contrition, the priest administers
absolution, thus formally forgiving the penitent of his sins, and finally sends him out with words of dismissal. Often, penitential acts consist simply of prayers, fasting, charitable work or giving, or a combination thereof. Such penance is frequently accompanied by a requirement for the penitent to be reconciled with anyone against whom he or she's sinned. The most common penances involve the recitation of standard prayers, such as the
Lord's Prayer and the
Hail Mary, meditation on particular scriptural passages, or praying the
rosary with special penitential intentions. The priest is bound by the
seal of confession not to reveal or discuss a penitents sins with others. Violation of the seal of confession incurs the most severe ecclesiastical penalty of
excommunication for the violating priest.
Eastern Orthodox Church
Penance, or Holy Confession as it's usually called, in the
Eastern Orthodox Church has more in common with a psychiatric session than it does with the sacramental equivalents of other Christian Traditions. In Roman Catholicism, the goal of the sacrament of Penance is reconciliation with God, through means of justification. However, in Orthodoxy, the intention of the sacramental mystery of Holy Confession is to provide reconciliation with God, but through means of healing.
Similar to the Eastern Catholic Churches, in the Eastern Orthodox Church there are no confessionals. Traditionally the confessant also stands or kneels before either the Icon of Christ the Teacher (to the viewers' right of the Royal Door) or in front of an Icon of Christ, or a Crucifix. This is to show humility before the whole church and before Christ. Once they're ready to start, the priest says, “Blessed is our God, always, now and for evermore,” reads the
Trisagion Prayers and the 51st Psalm (50th Psalm in the
Septuagint).
At this point, often the penitent and the priest, usually referred to as the Spiritual father, sit down together before the Icon. The priest then advises the penitent that Christ is invisibly present and that the penitent shouldn't be embarrassed or be afraid, but should open up their heart and reveal their sins so that Christ may forgive them. The penitent then accuses himself of sins. The priest quietly and patiently listens. After the confessant reveals all their sins, the priest offers advice and counsel. The priest may modify the prayer rule of the penitent, or even prescribe another rule, if needed to combat the sins the penitent struggles most with. Penances are usually given with a therapeutic intent, so they're opposite to the sin committed.
For example, if the penitent broke the Eighth Commandment by stealing something, the priest could prescribe they return what they stole (if possible) and give alms to the poor on a more regular basis. Opposites are treated with opposites. If the penitent suffers from gluttony, the confessant’s fasting rule is reviewed and perhaps increased. The intention of Holy Confession is never to punish, but to heal and purify. Holy Confession is also seen as a “second baptism.”
In Orthodoxy, Holy Confession is seen as a means to procure a better spiritual health and purity. Confession often doesn't always involve only stating the sinful things the person does; the good things, a person does or is considering doing, is also discussed. The approach is holistic, examining the full life of the confessant. The good works don't earn salvation, but are part of a psychotherapeutic treatment to preserve salvation and purity. Sin is treated as a spiritual illness, or wound, only cured through Jesus Christ. The Orthodox belief is that in Confession, the sinful wounds of the soul are to be exposed and treated in the "open air" (in this case, the Spirit of God. Note the fact that the Greek word for
Spirit, πνευμα, can be translated as "air in motion" or wind).
Once the penitent has accepted the therapeutic advice and counsel freely given to him or her, by the priest then, placing his
epitrachelion over the head of the confessant. The priest then prays the prayer of forgiveness over the penitent. In the prayer of forgiveness, the priests asks of God to forgive the sins committed. He then concludes by placing his hand on the head of the penitent and says, “The Grace of the All-Holy Spirit, through my insignificance, has loosened and granted to you forgiveness.”
In summary, the Priest reminds the penitent what they just received is a second baptism, through the Sacramental Mystery of Holy Confession, and that they should be careful not to defile this restored purity but also to do good and to hear the voice of the psalmist: “Turn from evil and do good.” But most of all, the priest urges the penitent to guard him or herself from sin and to commune as often as permitted. The priest dismisses the repentant penitent in peace—often with a fatherly, brief but warm and caring hug.
Symbol, not sacrament
Other Christian traditions also practice Penance, particularly traditions formed by a
Calvinist or
Zwinglian sensibility. The Reformers (for example Puritans), upholding the doctrine of justification by faith, held that repentance consisted in a change of the whole moral attitude of the mind and soul (Matthew 13:15; Luke 22:32), and that the divine forgiveness preceded true repentance and confession to God without any reparation of "works." As Calvin says in his piece
Of Justification By Faith: "without forgiveness no man is pleasing to God." Rather, "God's kindness is meant to lead you to repentance" (Romans 2:4, ESV); nonetheless, there has traditionally been a stress on reconciliation as a precondition to fellowship.
Penance in non-Christian faith traditions
In some
religions of Indian origin, acts of hardship committed on oneself (fasting, lying on rocks heated by the Sun, etc.), especially as part of an ascetic way of life (as monk or 'wise man') in order to attain a higher form of mental awareness (through detachment from the earthly, not punishing guilt) or favours from (the) god(s).
Penance in art and fiction
Penance in movies:
Penance (2004)
Penance (1999)
"I Confess". Warner Brothers, 1953. Alfred Hitchcock, Dir. Starring: Montgomery Clift, Anne Baxter
Sadhna (1958) aka "The Penance"
The Bell of Penance (1912)
A Daughter of Penance (1916)
Who Killed Brett Penance? (1995) (VG)
Proper Penance (1992) (V)
Veruntreute Himmel, Der (1958)
The Reckoning (2003)
Fatima (1997) (TV)
Constantine (2005)
"Nightmare Cafe" (1992)
An optional superboss in the international version of Final Fantasy X (2001)
The Mission (film) (1986) - penance of Rodrigo Mendoza (played by Robert de Niro)Further Information
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