Final Flashcards
The word “penance”
Hebrew - “To turn”
Greek - “Metanoia” (transform the mind)
The word “mercy”
Misericordia
Latin - “Miserere” (to have pity)
Confession: Biblical Concept
Theme of “return”
During Exile -God turns toward his people
John the Baptist - Sense of NOW repent and turn
Jesus - spoke of returning to original intention of the Creator
Sin in the OT
Damage done to oneself and to others working in an “anti-salvific” context
Sin is a block on our relation with God / convenant
Attritionism vs Contritionism
Attrition - Remorse out of FEAR
Contrition - Remorse out of LOVE
Attrition can be first step
- Sorrow for sin
- Detesting sin
- Determination to not sin again
Sacrament of Penance: Definition
LG 11
“…To obtain pardon from the mercy of God for sins committed against Him and are at the same time reconciled with the Church…”
To Anticipate Justice
An effect of Penance
- Reconciling with God
- Reconciling with Church
- Anticipation of Divine Justice
Imprecation
Negative command - “Get out of him!” (exorcism)
Psalm 51
David stands in shock and awareness of his sin and shows hope in divine grace
Tension involved in sin, social aspect, God is merciful but needs our collaboration
Prodigal Son
Process of sin and conversion
Son “comes to his senses” = “enters into himself”
The father exceeds all expectations
Older brother is the one in need of conversion
Theology of Mercy
Recognition - of sin by both God and the sinner
Transformation - God’s mercy is active and transformative
Integration - sinner is again involved into the saving work of God
Theology of Conversion
Three acts of the penitent
Contritio
Confesio
Satisfactio
Theology of Absolution
Petrine theology - receiving keys
Soteriological - through the Paschal mystery
Pneumatology - “sent the Holy Spirit for the forgiveness of sins”
Confession and the reform
Luther was not sure if sins were truly forgiven, did I meet ALL criteria?
Not a sacrament - faith is the only condition, no need for some business transaction
History of Sacrament of Penance
Apostolic Church
-Reconciling the excommunicated. Binding/loosing
Post-Apostolic
- Structures of reinstatement
- Move from public to private penance
Isolated 6th Century Church
- Temporally limited penances (not life-long)
- Manuals which assign particular penance to each sin
High Middle Ages
- Peccatorum Confessionem declared a sacrament
- Formulated proper words of absolution
Formulation of absolution
1439 Council of Florence - “Ego te absolvo.”
1551 Council of Trent - “Ego te absolvo….” open to additions
1614 Rituale Romano - 3 req, Faculties of confessor, contrition, act of penance
Vatican II - Emphasis on social and ecclesial structure of sin, Church prayers for sinners, we do not need to convince God to be merciful
Effects of the Sacrament of Reconciliation
Proper reconciling with God
Restores us to the Grace of God
JP II - Sinner reconciled with himself, brethren, Church, all creation
Theological Place
What is the starting place of Theology? (epistemological question)
Writing, oral tradition, Councils, Church fathers, our own reason, philosophy, history, etc
Lex Orandi
Law of Prayer
Lex orandi lex credendi
Law of prayer is the law of belief
What we pray (liturgy) is what we belive
Order of Melchizidek
Israel view of king - divine and anointed
Melchizedek - 1st king of Jerusalem, king/priest
King David entered into this idea of priesthood
Though no genealogy, it is a divine election
Santification
To sanctify is to make holy
Thess 4:3 “The is indeed the will of God, your sanctification”
Priesthood according to Aquinas
Oriented toward the Eucharist
Spiritualises priesthood, sort of de-pastoralizing
Priesthood according to JPII
Christocentric in Pastores Dabo Vobis
Relational aspects of priesthood instead of functional