The Confession: Where’d It Go?

You only have to go a few blocks in Charlottetown to see that there are different ways within the Anglican tradition to do things. One thing that was drilled into me was that for the 50 days of Easter we drop the Confession and Absolution (a.k.a. the General Confession). The reason is that what God did for us through Jesus Christ (the resurrection) was effectual. In other words, our sins are indeed forgiven and in Easter Season (at least) we should acknowledge and celebrate that forgiveness and love by dropping the General Confession.

In fact, there are those who would suggest that the General Confession is never necessary. In the early Church, there was no verbal confession and absolution in the Eucharistic liturgy. According to the explanatory notes in the BAS, “The ancient Church understood the eucharist as a whole to be the means by which the People of God are renewed in their baptismal covenant and reconciled to God.”

So, just by being present at the Eucharist we receive (yet again) the assurance of God’s forgiveness and love. There are always other penitential elements to our worship:

• The Lord’s Prayer says, “Forgive us our sins [trespasses] as we forgive those who sin against us.”
• When we intentionally drop the confession and absolution we always (intentionally) include a petition in the Prayers of the People that is penitential.
• Often the Collect or other prayers.
• Often hymns.

So, if you miss the General Confession in the Easter season, remember that there are many other opportunities in the worship to seek, receive and believe in the salvation God wins for us in the person of Jesus the Christ.

Clergy are human too, and sometimes we forget to forget the General Confession during Easter Season and that’s okay. It’s not a major issue, just something that many of us like to do for the reasons expressed herein.