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No man is an islanu,
Entiie of itself,
Eveiy man is a piece of the continent,
A pait of the main.
If a clou be washeu away by the sea,
Euiope is the less.
As well as if a piomontoiy weie.
As well as if a manoi of thy fiienu's
0i of thine own weie:
Any man's ueath uiminishes me,
Because I am involveu in mankinu,
Anu theiefoie nevei senu to know foi whom the bell tolls;
It tolls foi thee.
- }ohn Bonne, !"#$%&%$'( *+,,, "No Nan Is An Islanu"




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Casey T. Biooks
Confession anu the SaciamentsWe Belong Togethei
1
:;7,)<=870);
This papei will be uiviueu into thiee paits: the fiist pait will auuiess the mattei of
saciamentwhat is it anu how uo we uefine it. The seconu pait will seek to uefine
confession anu piesent its intiinsic communal action. The thiiu anu final pait will use the
fiist two sections to infoim its ueclaiations: confession shoulu not be consiueieu a
saciament anu confession is a peiquisite foi paiticipating in the saciaments. We will begin
with the uefining of teims so that piejuuices may be iemoveu in oiuei that we may have
the same functioning uefinitions. So then it is the goal of this papei to infoim you that
confession uoes not meet the iequiiements to function as a saciament (at least in a
Wesleyan unueistanuing) but is a iequiieu action of saciamentalists anu I woulu suggest
the Chuich as a whole.
>(#7 0$ 6#8,#*%;7?
We shall begin with uefining saciament in a Wesleyan unueistanuing. I am an active
ministei in the Chuich of the Nazaiene; so cuiient Nazaiene thought heavily influences my
theology. Bowevei nowheie in the manual is saciament uefineuseeking a Nazaiene
enuoiseu uefinition leu me to seimon by }ohn Wesley titleu -." !"&(/ '0 12&3":
By "means of giace" I unueistanu outwaiu signs, woius, oi actions, oiuaineu of uou,
anu appointeu foi this enu, to be the oiuinaiy channels wheieby he might convey to
men, pieventing, justifying, oi sanctifying giace.
I use this expiession, means of giace, because I know none bettei; anu because it has
been geneially useu in the Chiistian chuich foi many ages; -- in paiticulai by oui
own Chuich, which uiiects us to bless uou both foi the means of giace, anu hope of
gloiy; anu teaches us, that a saciament is "an outwaiu sign of inwaiu giace, anu a
means wheieby we ieceive the same."
1


This unueistanuing of saciament is wonueifully piacticalan outwaiu sign of an inwaiu
giace anu a means wheieby we ieceive that giace. Bowevei theie is much moie at play in

1
Wesley, !"&(/ '0 12&3"4 Section II - Point 1.
Casey T. Biooks
Confession anu the SaciamentsWe Belong Togethei

2
unueistanuing saciament. 0theiwise I uoubt the Nazaienes anu othei Nethouist tiauitions
woulu have limiteu themselves to only two saciaments (the Euchaiist anu Baptism). An
impoitant woiu we neeu to focus on in Wesley's uefinition of saciament is 'sign,'
paiticulaily that it is wiitten: 'outwaiu sign.'
'(% :*/),7#;8% )@ AB=7C#,< 609;D
I hope you will not finu too fai of a stietch to use the woiu sign anu symbol
inteichangeably (as I will be using them to uiscuss the same mattei anu the signs I will be
speaking of aie intiinsically symbolic). We aie cuiiently in a time that paiticipatois in the
saciament want to ignoie the sign.
2
I see this as oveiieaction to Catholic tiauition uuiing
the iefoimation. Refoimeis sought to limit the powei of the piiests anu in this piocess
tiansubstantiation was lost.
S
Since the Refoimation, the auministiation of the Euchaiist has
unueigone seveial vaiiations. A populai unueistanuing touay is known as memoiialism
wheie the bieau anu the wine (the signs) aie puiely symbolic anu act as a memoiy of
Chiist's bouy anu bloou.
4
Beie we have paitly abanuon the seconu-pait of Wesley's
uefinition which insists that the outwaiu signs seive as a symbol foi the inwaiu giace anu
!"# ! %#!&' by which the inwaiu giace is attaineu. This "isolation of the saciament fiom
the symbol |is the Euchaiist's isolationj fiom connection anu communication with the
whole of ieality."
S
Removing the means of the symbol iemoves it fiom its context anu it
becomes "a closeu anu self-containeu 'means of giace,' a uiop of ieality in a sea of symbols,
the saciament uepiiveu the lituigy of its piopei functionto connect the saciament with

2
Schmemann, 5'2 %." 6$0" '0 %." 7'28#, 148.
S
Spohnholz, !98%$3'(0"//$'(&8 :"8";2&%$'( '0 %." <93.&2$/%4 7u7.
4
Nuellei, :.2$/%$&( ='>?&%$3/, S19.
S
Schmemann, 5'2 %." 6$0" '0 %." 7'28#4 1Su.
Casey T. Biooks
Confession anu the SaciamentsWe Belong Togethei
S
the Chuich, the woilu, anu the Kinguom."
6
The symbols aie not meiely a iemembiance of a
given time but must be consiueieu as paiticipants in the inwaiu giace that is biought about
by the outwaiu signs. Chiist instituteu these symbols, "the institution means that by being
iefeiieu to Chiist..."
7
oi filleu with Chiist, ".the symbol is fulfilleu anu becomes
saciament."
8
I mention this in an attempt to iecovei the signs of the saciamentsit is not
meiely the woius of institution that suimise the saciaments. Bowevei they too aie not to
be ignoieu.
B,<0;#;8%E6#8,%< F07%$ G H)C '(%& ")**=;08#7% 7(% 6#8,#*%;7$
0iuinance in this papei is to be unueistoou as the instituteu piactices.
9
I woulu like to auu
to oui explanation of saciament a moie foimal uefinition, the Westminstei Shoitei
Catechism uefines it as:
A holy oiuinance instituteu by Chiist wheiein by visible signs
1u
Chiist anu the
benefits of the new covenant aie iepiesenteu, sealeu, anu applieu to believeis.
11


I specifically intiouuce this uefinition heie because while Wesley's uefinition is incieuibly
piactical anu palatable it uoes not explicitly mention a piactice oi oiuinance, which is now
oui focus in oui puisuit of paising out saciament. The mattei of oiuinance biings us to the
case of ecclesiologythe Chuich's iole in saciament. }ohannes Betz in Kail Rahnei's
Theology Encyclopeuia wiites:

6
,;$#@
7
,;$#.4 14u.
8
,;$#.
9
This is to claiify foi those who woulu unueistanu oiuinance as being the items useu in
piactice of saciaments: bieau, wine, anu watei.
1u
I hope those that aie cuiiently in uisagieement with me about the neeu foi active signs
woulu take note heie. The signs aie active membeis empoweieu by Chiist anu aie not to be
uisiegaiueu.
11
PC0SA, -." :'(0"//$'( '0 5&$%., 7.u92.
Casey T. Biooks
Confession anu the SaciamentsWe Belong Togethei

4
The funuamental essence of the saciament is to be founu in the woius useu: the
'mattei' basically has only a seconuaiy function of helping to make cleai what the
woius signify. Woius pionounceu in the Chuich in the name with the manuate of
uou anu }esus Chiist have in piinciple an 'exhibitive' chaiactei, that is they biing
about what they aie pointing to, in othei woius uou's giace. In the stiictest anu
piopei sense the woiu of uou can only exist as the effect of his giace. The woiu of
the uospel is always sustaineu by a giace that is in fact effective because it ueiives
fiom uou anu not simply fiom the goou will of man. This woiu of salvation, in the
mouth of the Chuich making its pioclamation in faith, is ultimately as the
eschatologically victoiious woiu uiiecteu towaius the woilu: the Chuich is the
beaiei of that woiu of uou's piomise of himself to the woilu that cieates the
salvation that is eschatologically victoiious. Bence the Chuich is the piimal oi
funuamental saciament Chuich.
12


I woulu aigue against saying "the woius useu aie the funuamental essence of saciament"
1S

foi two ieasons. Fiistly, the funuamental essence of saciament is the giace anu meicy of
uou anu Chiist's institution as they foim oui most basic knowleuge of the saciaments.
Seconuly neithei the woius noi the mattei iule ovei one anothei they aie co-opeiatois in
biinging about giace that is enableu by Chiist. Bowevei aftei that I think Betz is iight on
when he begins to speak about Woius anu piactices in the Chuich. I ieally wish he woulu
have expounueu on his last sentenceI finu it so pinnacle to this point of oiuinance. The
Chuich is the beaiei of uou's piomise of himself, which is in pait manifesteu by the
saciaments. So it is the Chuich's iesponsibility to auministei the saciaments anu so
inveisely the Chuich is a iequisite to saciament.
14
I think it is impoitant to mention heie
that while saciament calls foi oiuei it uoes not call foi exclusivity. Niglioie wiites on the
mattei:
While ministiy is not authoiitaiian, it uoes involve the exeicise of authoiity.
Seivants of Chiist aie not like leaves blown about by the winu. Chiistian seivice is
not seivile subjection to powei stiuctuies outsiue the chuich oi within it. |.j The

12
Betz, A&32&?"(%, 4S2.
1S
See the above block quote.
14
I think you woulu be vexeu to finu an oithouox theologian who uisagiees with this point.
Casey T. Biooks
Confession anu the SaciamentsWe Belong Togethei
S
authoiity of the oiuaineu ministei is baseu not on his oi hei peison but solely on the
gospel of }esus Chiist. It is an authoiity that is always exeiciseu in paitneiship with
the whole people of uou. Ninisteiial authoiity is inheiently collegial iathei than
monaichical in natuie.
1S


The Chuich is not iuentifieu by 'class stiuctuies,' it is not a capitalistic business mouel
iathei those who aie leaueis aie chaiacteiizeu by seivice not by powei.
16
So while
saciamental lituigies aie placeu in the hanus of the Chuich anu we have ieseiveu the
auministeiing of those lituigies to oiuaineu inuiviuuals it is not foi the sake of ieseiving
powei but foi the sake of the uospel. uou's Woiu is poweiful anu misiepiesenteu it can
become a tool of uestiuction iathei than giace. So it is foi the sake of iesponsibility that the
auministeiing of saciamental lituigies has been ieseiveu foi the oiuaineu.
17
Bowevei the
auministeis of the saciament aie not the only people who aie to be helu accountable to the
uospel. The paiticipants (which incluue the auministeis) aie not only to be seiveubut to
seive otheis as well.
18
Niglioie wiites: "Eveiy ministiy of Chiist must be chaiacteiizeu by
seivice iathei than uomination. }esus saiu that he came to seive iathei than to be
seiveu."
19
0ut of the giace we ieceive thiough the ministeis of the gospel we too aie to
ietuin that giace thiough seivice. Laypeople aie not to be excluueu when heaiing the teim
'the Chuich' they too holu the accountability of saciament anu uospel.

1S
Niglioie, 5&$%. A""B$(> C(#"2/%&(#$(>, 298.
16
,;$#@
17
This piinciple was once explaineu to me in this ielevant metaphoi: I woulu not want an
unqualifieu inuiviuual to uo biain suigeiyso why shoulu I expect any uiffeient foi the
auministei of the saciaments.
18
Foi fuithei inteiest in the iesponsibility of the Chuich in saciament I iecommenu Bient
Peteison's aiticle <93.&2$/%$3 <338"/$'8'>DE F :'??9($%D '0 G'D098 H2'B"(("//
19
Niglioie, 5&$%. A""B$(> C(#"2/%&(#$(>4 298.
Casey T. Biooks
Confession anu the SaciamentsWe Belong Togethei

6
So then oiuinance is to be unueistoou as the instituteu piactices of saciament moueleu by
Chiist anu fulfilleu touay thiough the Chuich.
2u

I%@0;070); )@ 6#8,#*%;7
Compiling the infoimation we have gatheieu we can concluue that: Saciaments aie an
inwaiu giace
21
that is initiateu by the powei of uou thiough the paiticipation of the
Chuich
22
in its piesentation of the lituigy anu symbols which weie fiist enacteu by Chiist
anu touay again aie filleu with his piesence in oiuei that the Kinguom of uou may be
connecteu thiough the Chuich into the Woilu so that Bis uiace is active anu not in an
isolateu 'ieligious iitual' foi inuiviuuals but iathei uiace foi a community to be
communicateu thiough the paiticipants of the saciament.
2S

Now that we have an opeiating uefinition of saciament we aie only one moie uefinition
away fiom making oui final claims.
>(#7 0$ ");@%$$0);?
Confession is often iefeiieu to as penance. Penance has quite a uaik histoiy in the Roman
Catholic Chuich anu it is a much laigei topic then what we aie auuiessing oi woulu be
inteiesteu in hanuling in this essay. As such we will be auuiessing confession alone anu not
that categoiical whole that is penance. Let us begin with a scholaily uefinition of
confession:
The ueclaiation of peisonal uecisions anu ciicumstances within the confines of a
community. Thus in sciiptuie we finu the confession of Yahweh's saving ueeus of

2u
Which is of couise empoweieu by Chiist.
21
This statement is taken fiom }ohn Wesley's uefinition of saciament.
22
We finu this in Betz's uefinition of saciament.
2S
This final sentiment is maue ueclaiatively cleai by the above quoteu passages of
Schmemann anu again in Niglioie's section on oiuaineu ministiy which incluues many
ielevant claims about the iesponsibility of laypeople (which begins on page 29S anu
continues to Su6) - foi moie claiification see Schmemann's entiie section titleu A&32&?"(%
&(# AD?;'8.
Casey T. Biooks
Confession anu the SaciamentsWe Belong Togethei
7
powei, confessions of guilt anu giatituue, anu above all confessions of piaise
(lituigical homologies anu uoxologies). . Public confession in both its aspectsthe
piaise of uou's mighty ueeus in }esus Chiist on behalf of man who confesses his
guilthas always figuieu in Chiistianity, necessaiily aiising fiom man's
psychosomatic unity anu his essential oiuination to society, anu as constituting the
Chuich.
24


We finu in the seconu sentence that theie aie thiee categoiies of confession; all of them
ielateu but uistinctly uiffeient as well. The focus of this essay anu the point of the aigument
will iely on an unueistanuing of the seconu categoiy, confessions of guilt anu giatituue, so
as such it will be oui piimaiy focus. In confession of guilt theie seems to be two categoiies
within it. The fiist categoiy of confession is one of guilt of peisonal sins i.e. inteinal conflict
anu tiauma. The seconu categoiy of confession is ielateu to communal guilt i.e. sins that
have causeu tiauma anu conflict within the community. While all sins neeu to be
confesseu
2S
not all equally anu not by the same means.
26

J%,$);#1 60;$EH)C .,% >% 7) ");@%$$?
Confessing oui peisonal sins is an act we have uone quite well in . I pause to say in the
Chuich heie, because honestly we uo not tenu to uo it in the Chuichwhile we might uo it
insiue the chuich builuing we aie not paiticipating communally in this action. We may uo it
at an altei oi by oui beusiue, but we tenu to uo it silently anu alone. Regaiuless we uo it
fiequently anu often foi the same sins.
27
I believe this to be a failuie of the Wesleyan
chuichcontinually thioughout sciiptuie we aie instiucteu not to hiue oui sins but
confess them openly to oui community:

24
voigiimlei, :'(0"//$'(4 87.
2S
Sunubeig, 7'2/.$I &/ J"I"(%&(3"4 S4.
26
I am speaking heie of the physical paiticipatoiit is assumeu heie that Chiist is the tiue
means by which we aie enableu to confess anu be foigiven.
27
0i at least I uo, but I woulu be willing to iisk that I am not alone in this.
Casey T. Biooks
Confession anu the SaciamentsWe Belong Togethei

8
K2'L"2;/ MNEOP - Whoevei conceals theii sins uoes not piospei, but the one who confesses
anu ienounces them finus meicy.
G&?"/ QEOR - Theiefoie confess youi sins to each othei anu piay foi each othei so that you
may be healeu. The piayei of a iighteous peison is poweiful anu effective.
O G'.( OES - If we confess oui sins, he is faithful anu just anu will foigive us oui sins anu
puiify us fiom all uniighteousness.
!&%%."T QEMPUMV - Theiefoie, if you aie offeiing youi gift at the altai anu theie iemembei
that youi biothei oi sistei has something against you, leave youi gift theie in fiont
of the altai. Fiist go anu be ieconcileu to them; then come anu offei youi gift.

Confession "has a funuamental communal uimension"
28
because oui sins take effect on oui
community. Even sins we might consiuei piivate like peisonal piiue, false humility, oi
contiolleu auuictions play-out in oui communal self. They pioject a lie, give false
inteipietations of who we aie, pioviue a pooiei example of a Chiist-like inuiviuual, anu in
geneial iob oui community of inteiacting with a moie whole peison.
29
So oui confession
then plays a pait in oui iepentance of that sin anu it is the opinion of this essay to aigue
that such a confession shoulu not be uone in isolation. A Roman Catholic piiest, Fathei
Chiistophei Walsh, wiites canuiuly on why uou might want us to confess oui peisonal sins
to a fellow believei:
uou |ouij Fathei |wantsj to continue in a human, incainational way Chiist's own
foigiving piesence in the woilu. Be |wantsj sinneis to heai a human voice, feel a
human touch as they |aiej ieconcileu to him, in the same way that Chiist his Son hau
ieconcileu the suffeiing anu alienateu whom he encounteieu while walking the
ioaus of Palestine.
Su


We aie unlikely to confess oui peisonal sins to just any believei. They aie often consiueieu
peisonal because they aie ueeply embaiiassing oi might be socially uetiimental (you may
be a politician oi youi actions coulu impeue youi business success unjustly). Not eveiyone

28
Nick, C(#"2/%&(#$(> %." A&32&?"(%/ -'#&D, 6S.
29
,;$#@4 66.
Su
Walsh, -." C(%&II"# K'T"2 '0 %." A&32&?"(% '0 K"(&(3"4 78-79.
Casey T. Biooks
Confession anu the SaciamentsWe Belong Togethei
9
is to be tiusteu with the tiuth because not eveiyone will use it honestly.
S1
To give someone
this much tiust "envisions a life-long task, one which calls foi guiuance,"
S2
on this basis
follow "the quest foi an eluei, a tiustwoithy, tiieu anu testeu holy peison, as a spiiitual
fathei oi mothei."
SS
A woiu unconfesseu to a neighboi is a woiu they cannot holu us
accountable too. What we may consiuei peisonal is suie to effect moie than just
ouiselvesin this too we aie not alone anu shoulu seek uouly guiuance.
")**=;#1 60;$EH)C .,% >% 7) ");@%$$?
I woulu like to iefei again to sciiptuie passages listeu above, specifically the passage fiom 1
}ohn. In an exegesis of 1 }ohn 1:9 Rikaiu Roitto explains that:
Although the foigiving subject is uou, foigiveness was integiateu into the social anu
cultic life of the community, not just a piivate mattei between uou anu the
inuiviuual believei. uou foigives, but community membeis must confess in the
community anu one community membei can meuiate foigiveness to anothei
thiough piayei.
S4


We aie iesponsible foi confessing oui guilt but that alone is not enoughwe have to make
effoits to ieconcile the evil we may have causeu.
SS
Those of us in non-Catholic ciicles tenu
to uoubt the actions of humanity anu theii ability to effect oui salvation.
S6
Chiist cleaily
explains in Natthew 18:18, "Tiuly I tell you, whatevei you binu on eaith will be bounu in
heaven, anu whatevei you loose on eaith will be looseu in heaven." Actions when uone in
the Spiit of the Loiu thiough the Chuich aie the Loiu's actions.
S7
We aie to woik towaius a

S1
Stassen, W$(>#'? <%.$3/4 S82.
S2
Bellwig, A$>( '0 J"3'(3$8$&%$'( &(# :'(L"2/$'(, 46.
SS
,;$#@4 47.
S4
Roitto, K2&3%$3"/ '0 :'(0"//$'(4 ,(%"23"//$'(4 &(# 5'2>$L"("// $( O G'.(, 241.
SS
I am iefeiencing heie to Natthew S:2S-24 on matteis of ieconciliation.
S6
Which foi one is uualismoui soul anu bouy (anu minu) aie intiinsically togethei anu
theii actions cannot be sepaiateu.
S7
Youei, H'#D K'8$%$3/4 S.
Casey T. Biooks
Confession anu the SaciamentsWe Belong Togethei

1u
ieconcileu community. Bowevei an impoitant uistinction shoulu be maue heie about
Chiistian community anu the puipose of confession anu ieconciliation:
Chiistian community . is not piimaiily about togetheiness. It is about the way of
}esus Chiist with those whom he calls to himself. It is about uisciplining oui wants
anu neeus in congiuence with a tiue stoiy, which gives us the iesouices to leau
tiuthful lives. In living out the stoiy togethei, togetheiness happens, but only as a
by-piouuct of the main pioject of tiying to be faithful to }esus |Chiistj.
S8


Confession is uone to the community foi the sake of a fulfilleu ielationship to both uou anu
humanity. It is neithei an isolateu inciuent between you anu uou, noi just between you anu
neighboibut all thiee, which can only be uone by the Spiiit's enablement.
S9

");@%$$0); #;< 6#8,#*%;7
A laige numbeis of piotestant tiauitions have only two saciaments: Euchaiist anu Baptism.
Leaving out five otheis that the Roman Catholics, who have a highei view of 0iuination anu
the Spiiit's communication thiough the piiest, consiuei as saciaments. This incluues
confession (although it is noimally labeleu as penance); to unueistanu why we might
uisagiee with them let us look again at oui foimulateu uefinition of saciament:
Saciaments aie an inwaiu giace that is initiateu by the powei of uou thiough the
paiticipation of the Chuich in its piesentation of the lituigy anu symbols which
weie fiist enacteu by Chiist anu touay again aie filleu with his piesence in oiuei
that the Kinguom of uou may be connecteu thiough the Chuich into the Woilu so
that Bis uiace is active anu not in an isolateu 'ieligious iitual' foi inuiviuuals but
iathei uiace foi a community to be communicateu thiough the paiticipants of the
saciament.

I finu two majoi issues as to why confession shoulu not be consiueieu a saciament. 0ne,
theie is no physical symbol that Chiist fiist piesenteu. The Catholics ieconcile this belief by
consiueiing the piiest as the signfoi the piiest is iepiesenting Chiist in the foigiveness of

S8
Baueiwas, J"/$#"(% F8$"(/4 78.
S9
This is me avoiuing Pelagianism!
Casey T. Biooks
Confession anu the SaciamentsWe Belong Togethei
11
sins.
4u
I woulu not see this a justifiable sign specifically in that I uo not see the neeu to
confess all sins to an oiuaineu piiest but as suggesteu above to the offenueu paities anu to
a Chiistian NentoiLife-paitnei.
41
Seconuly confession is not something that shoulu always
be uone in the piesence of the entiie community but at times only in the piesence of a
tiusteu few. Again the Catholics iectify this by saying the piiest iepiesents the entiie
community.
42
I woulu offei a similai iesponse that not always is the piiest the peison who
you neeu to confess too.
");@%$$0); #$ # J,%,%K=0$07% 7) 6#8,#*%;7
So while confession uoes not meet the iequiiements foi saciament I believe that it is a
iequiieu action foi both Baptism anu Euchaiist. In both Baptism anu Euchaiist we aie
expecteu to be iepentant in heait anu in action. In Baptism we aie to make an offeiing of
oui self to be in "full puipose of obeuience in holiness anu iighteousness."
4S
Anu as we've
been instiucteu by Chiist, befoie we aie to make an offeiing we shoulu fiist go anu seek
ieconciliation with oui neighboi. As foi the Euchaiist, Paul pietty well instiucts us
explicitly:
1 Coiinthians 11:27-29 - So then, whoevei eats the bieau oi uiinks the cup of the Loiu in
an unwoithy mannei will be guilty of sinning against the bouy anu bloou of the
Loiu. Eveiyone ought to examine themselves befoie they eat of the bieau anu uiink
fiom the cup. Foi those who eat anu uiink without uisceining the bouy of Chiist eat
anu uiink juugment on themselves.

We aie not to uiink anu eat the bloou anu bouy of oui Loiu into an uniepentant selfto uo
so is to seek juugment. Confession seives as a means of uiace in which anu by which we aie

4u
Luijten, A&32&?"(%&8 5'2>$L"("// &/ & 1$0% '0 1'#, 1SS.
41
Who I suppose coulu iepiesent Chiist in this foigivenessbut I believe Chiist has given
us the powei to foigive one anothei thiough his meicy without being an outwaiu symbol
uefinable in the paiauigms of saciament.
42
Nick, C(#"2/%&(#$(> %." A&32&?"(%/ -'#&D4 6S.
4S
Nanual of the Chuich of the Nazaiene, S4.
Casey T. Biooks
Confession anu the SaciamentsWe Belong Togethei

12
foigiven thiough Chiist. The communal action pioviues us with accountability that enables
us to bettei seek the tiue saciaments.
");81=$0);
Saciaments aie intiinsically impoitant means of giace that have been gifteu to the Chuich
by Chiist. Theii impoitance is to be iespecteu anu hanuleu iesponsiblythis incluues
caiefully ueteimining what may anu may not be consiueieu a saciament. Bue to
confession's uninstitutionalization by Chiist, lack of sign, anu failuie to incluue the entiie
Chuich it shoulu not be consiueieu a saciament. Bowevei confession is a ciitically vital
pait of the chuich. Confession shoulu be uone communally anu piioi to paiticipating in the
Boly Saciaments if we aie to best iepiesent the uospel of oui Loiu anu Savioi, }esus Chiist.
>),-$ ");$=17%<
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