Confession: 2nd EditionIn this second edition of her profound book on confession, which theologian Hans Urs von Balthasar calls "one of her most central works", Adrienne von Speyr discusses the moral and practical aspects of this sacrament in great depth. The most complete spiritual treatise on confession ever written, the book covers conversion, scruples, contrition, spiritual direction, laxity, frequency of confession, confessions of religious and lay people, and even confessions of saints. The most intriguing element in von Speyr's understanding of confession, fully developed in this volume, is its trinitarian and christological basis. The Cross is the archetypal confession, and Christian sacramental confession is thus an imitation of Christ in the strict sense. Confession examines the enormous fruitfulness of this dogmatic basis from many perspectives, giving a wealth of suggestions that both the theological expert and the layman will find very helpful. Its practical applicability to one's own confession emerges from every page. |
Contents
FOREWORD by Father John Riccardo | 9 |
THE SEARCH | 15 |
CONFESSION IN THE LIFE | 26 |
THE CONFESSION ON THE CROSS | 58 |
THE FOUNDING OF CONFESSION | 72 |
THE CHURCH AND CONFESSION | 100 |
THE PENITENT | 115 |
TYPES OF CONFESSION | 131 |
THE ACT OF CONFESSION | 166 |
LIVING FROM THE GRACE | 221 |
THE OFFICE OF CONFESSOR | 241 |
THE CONFESSION OF THE SAINTS | 290 |