Six Lectures on the History of the Mystery of Repentance: Against General Confession

Confession is perhaps one of the least practiced of the Christian sacraments. This is a translation of six lectures specifically concerned with preventing the abuse of "general confession," which is the practice of a priest hearing the confession of a group of people simultaneously and then reading a single prayer of absolution. It sets out succinctly the history of this essential Christian sacrament and of the necessity of its correct use in the Church today. It emphasizes that the purpose of confession is to obtain spiritual healing and not to make a show of our sins before others. This is essential reading not only for students of the Christian tradition but also for all who seek to live that tradition today.