LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 2019, Page 227

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II. THEOLOGICAL DOCUMENTS­­—COMMISSION ON THEOLOGY AND CHURCH RELATIONS
Moreover, individual confession and absolution
may provide a natural doorway to instruct and fortify
God’s people with the teaching of God’s Word. It can
lead to practical insights on how to battle the flesh, the
world and the devil as one lives out the fruit of the total
forgiveness already received. Such personal instruction
with personal application also invariably fosters a closer
relationship between pastor and parishioner. Again
Löhe: “Private Confession offers the best opportunity to
instruct people;… [the pastor] … can instruct each one
in Law and Gospel according to his need. Also, a person
understands easier and retains better what is told him
alone on such a hallowed occasion than what he hears
publicly preached.”127

Restoration and Practice
The pastor must lead the way toward a restoration of the
practice of individual confession for he is the steward of
Christ’s mysteries — His Means of Grace (1 Cor. 4:1). He
is Christ’s undershepherd, and so he leads the flock. As
the pastor establishes a personal rhythm of confession
and absolution, he will increasingly experience the great
benefit of the practice and naturally encourage and lead
others into it as one who knows its great consolation.
This salutary counsel should not minimize the fact
that the “practice of private confession is actually an
extension of … preaching.”128 Sermons and teaching that
include reference to the value of individual confession
are a vital part of encouraging its practice — Advent and
Lent may be opportunities for such special attention. In
addition, regular catechesis should always address the
fifth chief part in Luther’s Small Catechism on confession, both for youth and for adults. For established
members, Bible studies, newsletter articles, blogs, weekly
email and/or other pastoral communications may be
utilized. Moreover, the pastor would be wise to discuss
the practice with the leadership of the congregation:
both officers and also other key leaders. In all teaching,
the pastor should be prepared to deal with “challenges”
to private confession, such as those mentioned above
(especially that it is “too Catholic”).
A few concerns about the actual implementation of
private confession should be considered.129 One imme127

Löhe, “The Sacrament of Repentance,” 6.

128

Pless, “Your Pastor Is Not Your Therapist,” 24.

129
Helpful practical resources for implementing private confession
include Lang, “Private Confession and Absolution”; Korby, “Suggested
Program”; Ronald F. Marshall, “Salvation Within Our Reach,” Lutheran
Forum, Fall, 1997; and Pless, “Your Pastor Is Not Your Therapist.”

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diate question is whether to offer individual confession
at specific set times or simply to make public his willingness to hear confessions at any mutually agreed time
and place. Some are concerned that the pastor should
not have a set time for private confession and absolution,
because parishioners will know that fellow members
are seeing the pastor for this purpose, discouraging the
practice. Another view is that part of the catechetical
preparation is to lead the congregation to recognize and
affirm the fact that private confession and absolution
is offered, and regular times enable penitents to realize
“I’m not the only one.” Thus, the realization that others
are using the resource can actually serve as a motivator
and encouragement to a fellow member. However one
evaluates these perspectives, it is apparent that a pastor
may also prefer a both-and approach, offering confession
both at set times and by appointment.
As for the actual meeting with the penitent, while
private confession and absolution can occur anywhere,
the setting is not unimportant. A private setting is essential. Lang notes suggestions from Walther and Löhe that
a private area may be designated near the communion
rail or in a corner of the nave.130 If confession is heard in
the sanctuary, then a confessional chair or location for
kneeling should be identified. Another obvious possible
location is the pastor’s study, where the penitent may sit
or kneel (if a kneeler is available).
The pastor may be flexible in his clothing when he
hears confession and gives private absolution. However,
the use of vestments, especially the stole, may be appropriate as a way to emphasize the gift of the Sacrament
— God’s grace administered through the Office of the
Public Ministry.131
Either a printed order or the use of the hymnal is
encouraged. A set order is a reminder of the universal
nature of this gift — that it is approved by our church
and not a pastoral idiosyncrasy. On the first occasion for
a confession, the pastor should explain the brief order,
emphasizing that: 1) penitents need only confess what
is troubling them; 2) they are there to confess their own
sin, and not the sins of others; 3) they can be confident
that the pastor will maintain confidentiality in accord
with his ordination vows; 4) absolution is the central
130
Lang, 258–259. The source of this suggestion, according to Lang, is
Chaplain Delvin Ressel writing in an article from the Lutheran Chaplain in 1949.
131
Lutherans may refer to confession and absolution as a Sacrament.
The Lutheran Confessions do so in LC IV and Ap XIII. See Question
294 in Luther’s Small Catechism with Explanation, 282.

PART THREE: EXTENDING THE GIFT TO THE CONGREGATION

27

purpose and value of individual confession; and, finally,
5) absolution is given without qualification, and any
counsel is not penance but guidance and encouragement
in Christian life.
Pless provides helpful guidance for hearing confession:
The diagnostic key is self-examination in view of
one’s vocation or place in life according to the Ten
Commandments. Here the pastor does not unduly
probe or coerce; he is not a moral detective. Rather, he bids the penitent to stand before the mirror
of God’s law so that the inbred sin is brought to
light, to paraphrase the words of the hymn. Here
the pastor will need to be attentive to the words
of the penitent, guiding the penitent away from
complaining about his sins to actually confessing
them, naming them. When there is confusion or
lack of clarity here, the pastor may need to press
the penitent to identify which commandment
of God he or she has sinned against. Likewise
the pastor will be on guard lest the penitent slip
into the Adamic mode of confessing the sins of
another: “The woman you put here with me —
she gave me some fruit from the tree, and I ate it”
(Gen. 3:12).132
Having heard the confession, the pastor stands before
the penitent, places his hands on the penitent’s head
and pronounces the absolution: “In the stead and by the
command of my Lord Jesus Christ, I forgive you all your
sins in the name of the Father and of the + Son and of
the Holy Spirit.”133 If there is further conversation, the
pastor may first emphasize the absolution just spoken as
the only true source of strength for Christian living. He
may also then provide guidance for a life of repentant
and joyful faith, carefully avoiding any hint of demanding “satisfaction.”134

132

Pless, “Your Pastor Is Not Your Therapist,” 25.

133

LSB 293.

On satisfaction, see the historical background on Pages 12–16 above.
Some recommend that the pastor deliberately engage in pastoral counsel up front and then end with private confession and absolution. The
danger here, however, is at least twofold: 1) We take the risk of minimizing absolution and over-emphasizing counsel; and 2) we take the
risk of missing the absolution — the one thing needful — altogether.
134

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PART THREE: EXTENDING THE GIFT TO THE CONGREGATION

CONFESSION AND ABSOLUTION

CONFESSION AND ABSOLUTION

Conclusion

Appendix
2013 RESOLUTION 4-13
To Encourage Confession and Absolution
for Pastors

F

or pastor and people — for all the sheep who
follow their Good Shepherd135 — the Shepherd
calls in countless ways, “Come to me, all who
labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest”
(Matt. 11:28). His sheep rejoice in the preached promises
of forgiveness, life, salvation, peace, joy, confidence
and all other good things from the Shepherd’s hand.
They luxuriate in the bath of Holy Baptism where sin is
cleansed and their Lord joins them to Himself in death
and resurrection (Romans 6) given by Him who gives the
water of life (John 4:14). They feast together at His table
on His body and blood for sin’s remission — the one
bread and one cup that makes them one. And where they
struggle, they are freely welcomed to confess their sins
and be assured by a word from their shepherd Himself
— “The one who hears you hears me” (Luke 10:16) — a
voice that declares with absolute certainty: “I forgive you
all your sins in the name of the Father and of the Son and
of the Holy Spirit.”

Overture 4-13 (CW, p. 168–169)
Whereas, In confession “[i]t is not the voice or word
of the man who speaks, but it is the Word of God, who
forgives sin, for it is spoken in God’s stead and by God’s
command” (AC XXV 3 [Tappert]); and
Whereas, Our pastors are bound by the Word of God
and their ordination vows “never to divulge the sins confessed to them” (Lutheran Service Book: Agenda); and
Whereas, While no one should be forced to go to
confession (“no one should be compelled to recount
sins in detail” [AC XXV 7]), it is also true that
confession should be made available for those whose
conscience is troubled (“Yet the preachers on our side
diligently teach that confession is to be retained for the
sake of absolution, … for the consolation of terrified
consciences” [AC XXV 13]); and
Whereas, Pastors may also become aware of sins that
they themselves have committed and desire to confess
them to another pastor, as Luther describes in the Small
Catechism, and so receive absolution; and

So it is that God’s children may stand before God
without shame, without guilt and without sin. So it is
that they can join the psalmist’s relieved prayer: “For
when I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my
groaning all day long. For day and night your hand was
heavy upon me; my strength was dried up as by the heat
of summer. I acknowledged my sin to you, and I did not
cover my iniquity; I said, ‘I will confess my transgressions to the LORD,’ and you forgave the iniquity of my
sin” (Ps. 32:3–5).
135

Whereas, The Synod in 2007 “[r]esolved, that both
laity and pastors be encouraged to make greater use
of individual confession and absolution” (Res. 2-07A);
therefore be it
Resolved, That the Synod in convention state its
commitment that in all activities, offices, and agencies
of the Synod, the goal is that all might “hear the Word of
the Gospel” (Acts 15:7), as referenced in the Preamble of
the LCMS Constitution; and be it further

SA Part III, 12:2, KW 324–325.

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CONCLUSION

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227

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APPENDIX

28

Resolved, That the pastors of The Lutheran Church—
Missouri Synod be reassured that the Synod takes very seriously the spiritual welfare of her pastors and encourages
them, when they feel a need to avail themselves of private
absolution, that they should do so; and be it further
Resolved, That pastors be encouraged to seek a father
confessor or the district president will provide for the
penitent pastor the name and contact information for
another pastor who is able and willing to hear that confession and offer absolution; and be it further
Resolved, That the convention make clear that no one
is being forced to confess sins, or even to confess privately, but that this resolution makes provision only for those
pastors who have a desire to make use of private confession but who are unsure where they may go to make
such a confession to another pastor and hear the word of
absolution; and be it further
Resolved, That the Commission on Theology and
Church Relations provide a document that sets forth
our church’s teaching on confession and absolution and
offers positive guidance to pastors and congregations in
their exercise of the Office of the Keys; and be it finally
Resolved, That the Synod in convention give thanks to
God for all the means He has given to His church whereby the forgiveness of sins in Jesus Christ is received.
Action: Adopted (9)
(After debate, the resolution was adopted as presented
[Yes: 840; No: 32].)
The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod, 2013
Convention Proceedings, 135.

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2019 Convention Workbook