What-Not: The Podcast QnA: Who can absolve? How does a Lutheran give their testimony?
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Sep 27, 2024 Dive into a lively discussion about who holds the power to absolve sin in the Lutheran Church. Unpack the nuances of confession and absolution, emphasizing its biblical roots. Explore the challenges Lutherans face when sharing personal testimonies, especially in comparison to more dramatic conversion stories. Discover insights into the beauty of faithful living over emotional narratives. Finally, reflect on how everyone’s faith journey is unique, encouraging genuine expressions of belief rooted in God’s faithfulness.
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Three Types of Confession Explained
- Confession includes three types: to God alone, to those we've wronged, and to a pastor or trusted Christian for absolution.
- Absolution is God's forgiveness pronounced through others, distinct from personal forgiveness to others.
Who Can Pronounce Absolution?
- Forgiving someone and pronouncing absolution are different; absolution is God's forgiveness pronounced in the name of Jesus.
- Every baptized Christian can and should pronounce absolution, not only ordained pastors.
Forgiveness Spoken Before Lutheranism
- Pastor Andrew Packer recounts a boss comforting him by pronouncing forgiveness before he was Lutheran.
- That experience profoundly impacted him and later connected with Lutheran theology of absolution.