medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and culture
George, You might find this book useful: The Medieval Handbooks of Penance: A Translation of the Principal Libri Poenitentiales and Selections from Related Documents (Records of Western Civ) by John T. McNeill and Helena M. Gamer (Hardcover - Oct 1990)
As someone else stated (George the Less?), the sacrament of penance was in flux at the period of interest to you and the whole set of ideas about contrition, confession, absolution, etc. was in a bit of a muddle. The late 11th- and early 12th c's were periods nearly obsessed with Judas and his guilt - or not - because of the problems with nicolaitism and simony, rife at the time, and a target of the Gregorian Reform. The questions: was Judas ordained and did he receive the Lord's body at the Last Supper, were of astonishing importance to many theologians at the time. I mentioned previously the kerfuffle raised by Abelard's Ethics. That might be another good source (although earlier than your period) for information.
MG

Marjorie Greene
http://medrelart.shutterfly.com/

--- On Thu, 8/27/09, George FERZOCO <[log in to unmask]> wrote:

From: George FERZOCO <[log in to unmask]>
Subject: [M-R] questions restated
To: [log in to unmask]
Date: Thursday, August 27, 2009, 5:45 PM

medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and culture

Dear colleagues,

In light of what I wrote before, I'd like to re-present my queries to you:

My question to you has to do with the late thirteenth-century notion of confession. Can Celestine's bull be understood to present the concept of confession as one which necessarily demands a priest's absolution, or could the act of confession be conceived as something separate from absolution? Could confession have been understood as requiring the presence of, and dialogue with, a priest, or could the notion have been open to the possibility that a confession could be made, e.g., to a group of ordinary people?

For example, what if a priest were to hear a confession at the church of Santa Maria di Collemaggio from the evening of 28 August to the evening of 29 August in the years around 1300 but refuse to absolve the person -- in the 1294 context of the Pardon, would the act of confessing one's sins, if one is truly contrite, suffice for attaining the Pardon?

George

--
George FERZOCO
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