Velikanov Pavel, archpriest; Chernov Vasily

Auricular confession in the Church of England: history, liturgy and canon law

Abstract

The auricular confession is a widespread and important practice in the Church of England today. Theological discussions around the auricular confession date back to the very dawn of the English Reformation. The issue has encircled moral theology of the Christian reconciliation as well as sacramental theology of the authority of institutional priesthood of the Church. This article analyses theological, canonical and especially liturgical aspects of the auricular confession in England which refl ect the complex history of this practice in the Anglican tradition. This topic is particularly important considering the key place that belongs to the Church of England’s theological, pastoral and liturgical tradition among other Churches of the worldwide Anglican Communion. In the Introduction to the article the issues of terminology are made clear. The second part deals with pastoral and liturgical aspects of the auricular confession as practised in the Church of England before the Reformation, shifts in the course of the reform, developments in the theological vision of the auricular confession in the process of making Anglicanism a distinct Christian tradition. Besides, Part Two includes an analysis of liturgical form of the auricular confession from the Book of Common Prayer 1662. This part ends with a brief history of revival of the auricular confession in the mid-19th century. Part Three examines the development of new liturgical forms of the auricular confession in the Church of England starting from the 1960s to the present time. The authors analyse the liturgical forms of the auricular confession from the Common Worship series, authorised in the Church of England as a lawful alternative to the 1662 Prayer Book. In Part Four, the authors deal with two signifi cant canonical concerns related to the auricular confession, the requirements for its minister and the seal of the confession. The conclusion outlines the current status of the auricular confession in the Church of England.

Keywords

Anglicanism, Church of England, Anglican Communion, auricular confession, confession, penance, absolution, canon law, seal of confessional

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Information about the author

Velikanov Pavel, archpriest

Academic Degree: Candidate of Sciences* in Theology;
Academic Rank: Associate Professor;
Place of work: Moscow Theological Academy; Troitse-Sergieva Lavra, Academia, Sergiev Posad, 141300, Russia;
Post: Assistant Professor;
ORCID: 0000-0002-8135-3929;
Email: prot.pavel@gmail.com.

*According to the International Standard Classification of Education (ISCED) 2011, the degree of Candidate of Sciences (Cand.Sc.) belongs to ISCED level 8 — "doctoral or equivalent", together with PhD, DPhil, D.Lit, D.Sc, LL.D, Doctorate or similar.

Chernov Vasily

Academic Degree: Candidate of Sciences* in Theology;
Place of work: Moscow Theological Academy; Troitse-Sergieva Lavra, Academia, Sergiev Posad, 141300, Russia;
Post: Head of International Department;
ORCID: 0000-0002-4687-1923;
Email: vasily.chernov.mail@gmail.com.

*According to the International Standard Classification of Education (ISCED) 2011, the degree of Candidate of Sciences (Cand.Sc.) belongs to ISCED level 8 — "doctoral or equivalent", together with PhD, DPhil, D.Lit, D.Sc, LL.D, Doctorate or similar.