# LCMS Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_1860_S35
# AI translation — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

— Page 35 —

everywhere publicly and in general is proclaimed to everyone, this
same word is, in absolution, said specifically to one or several who
desire it."

3. The administrators and dispensers of absolution in the public
office are the preachers of the Gospel; otherwise, however, all
Christians, because the whole Church is the original holder of
the keys; but He who forgives sin through their service is the
triune God.

Church Postil, Quasimodogeniti: "Now the parish pastor or
preacher, as your pastor, or indeed any Christian, is in such a case
called and sent to comfort you. Therefore, although the power to
forgive sins belongs to God alone, we should nevertheless also know
that He exercises and dispenses this power through this outward
office, to which Christ sends His apostles and commands them to
proclaim, in His name, forgiveness of sins to all who desire it."
The same place: "Whoever is troubled in conscience should go to, or
send for, his pastor or otherwise a good friend, tell him his
distress, and seek counsel and comfort from him. And let him base
himself on the fact that Christ says here: 'Whosesoever sins ye
remit,' etc."

House Postil, on the Day of Peter and Paul: "The Church, that
is, all Christians, have such power and command that they shall let
no sinner despair in his sins, but shall comfort him and, in the name
of Jesus, assure him of forgiveness of sins."

Note: In other passages Luther restricts lay absolution to cases
of necessity. Thus he says, among other things: "In such a way you
also lie, [saying] that I have made all laymen into bishops, priests,
and clergy in such a way that they may perform the office even
unbidden, while you falsely keep silent, pious as you are, that I
also write that no one should presume to take up the unbidden office
himself, unless it be in extreme necessity." (Against the Overly
Christian, etc., Book of Emser.) — House Postil, 19th Sunday after
Trinity: "Other Christians, although they do not hold the office,
nevertheless in a case of necessity also have a mandate to comfort
you when you are despairing on account of your sins. — — You should
comfort yourself with such words just as surely as if Christ Himself
spoke them to you in person from heaven." The following passage will
resolve the apparent contradiction, from the Church Postil,
Quasimodogeniti: "We indeed all have the power to hear confession; but
no one should presume to exercise it publicly, except him who has
been chosen for it by the congregation. Privately, however, I may
well make use of it, as when my neighbor comes and says to me: 'Dear
friend, I am burdened in my conscience, give me an absolution' — then
I may freely do so. But it must happen privately, I say."

4. Absolution does not consist a., in a judicial verdict of
the confessor, nor b., in an empty proclamation or wish for
the forgiveness of sins, but rather c., in a powerful
conveyance of that same forgiveness.

On a., the Apology [of the Augsburg Confession]: "Absolution is
simply the command to pronounce forgiveness, and is not a new court
for investigating sins; for