Apparently I wasn’t the only person on this side of the Tiber who misunderstood the new Confession iPhone app. Mark D. Roberts, one of my favorite Presbyterian pastors, was also leery—until he tried it out for himself:
So, you might wonder, what do I think of this app?
Since I am not Roman Catholic, the language and understanding of confession is not quite the same as my own. I do not believe, for example, that one must receive absolution or forgiveness from a priest. But, my Reformed tradition affirms the importance of examining one’s conscience as part of confession of sin. In fact, we use the Ten Commandments as a guide for our examination and confession. So, in many ways, this app would be useful to someone who was not Catholic.
I must admit that when I first read about the confession app, I rolled my eyes. I can get very cynical about this sort of thing. Yet, when I actually worked through a round of confession, guided by the app, I was chastened. It did encourage me to think about some of my sinful behaviors and attitudes that I might easily overlook.
It appears that the confession app is meant to get Roman Catholic Christians to church, specifically, to confession to a priest. Though I do not believe that this form of confession should be required of Christians, I do think that confession of sin to another Christian can be a very good thing. In fact, it’s something commended to all Christians in Scripture (James 5:13-16). This is, it seems to me, one of the most often disobeyed commands in the whole Bible. So, if the confession app helps some Christians examine their lives and confess their sins, either to the Lord alone or to another in God’s presence, then I can see benefit of this app. The fact that it shows up on an iPad or iPhone doesn’t make it any less valuable than other printed guides to confession.
On related note, the Vatican clarifies that Catholics can’t confess by iPhone. No one other than journalists and confused Protestants (and confused Protestant journalists like me) thought you could, but its still good to have that cleared up.
February 10th, 2011 | 12:30 pm
“This is, it seems to me, one of the most often disobeyed commands in the whole Bible.”
Well, that opens up a whole can of Protestant worms! Cross the Tiber and obey even more Biblical commands. Good thing that a good ole Catholic practice can help out a Protestant. Catholic practice in general is actually meant for all Christians.
Love the James quote. Protestants of every kind should be thankful that Luther didn’t remove that “epistle of straw” from the NT.
February 10th, 2011 | 12:58 pm
It’s a curious experience to be a Catholic and read posts like this. As if I was a lab specimen being examined by technicians who observe me and my behavior and are trying to puzzle out what the behavior means and why I do it.
So the first technician (in this case) comes to a wrong conclusion and duly notes this in his journal. Then when he gets some feedback showing that he may have erred in his conclusion, he turns to another “non-specimen” to do an independent evaluation and see if he can puzzle out a better conclusion.
The Scientific Method is sometimes a strange and wonderful thing!
February 11th, 2011 | 9:58 am
I’ve often wondered why journalists don’t just ask members of the church about the meaning of a particularly interesting if confusing new tidbit. Thanks, Joe, for pointing to that Vatican clarification. I’ve seem that clarification cast as “Vatican Condemns New Confessional App” and wondered how the journalists got there. Maybe many journalists just don’t want to know.
February 11th, 2011 | 12:46 pm
Catholics are Christians. . .. and it is about time that Christians of any stripe get back to the basics, with or without belief in priest’s presiding over one’s confession and absolution, and take seriously not only sin, death and the power of the devil but the powers and principalities at work across this nation that are tearing down the faith fabric of our society and culture.
As the separation of church and state was meant to save the church from the state not the state from the church, responsibility for holding the line and moving forward needs to come from faithful leaders. I don’t care about their credentials, their pedigrees or their views on infallibility and valid or invalid ordination by succession (Yes, I’m an ordained woman–should you no longer read this then?) . . .. we are losing the “battle.” We have made for ourselves “church people” who are not disciples because they have too long been led by those who don’t believe what they preach, teach and confess and long ago ditched the Bible as an antiquated document that was valid long ago but no longer speaks to us today. Well, if that is who you are then you should not be leading Jesus’ flock.
The church as “organized religion” has and is acting as an enemy of Jesus Christ the Lord of the church. It has intellectualized the story for so long that it is no longer told in order to just “live” as the Living Word of God and have its way with sinners in need of repentance (which is every last one of us). The mainline denominational leaders have been about stealing away the gift of repentance. I commend my Roman Catholic brothers and sisters for taking on this post enlightened, post modern America, both churched and un churched through the media—any means you can. We are trying to do the same in our own small way. But using the internet and technology as a tool of the faith instead of letting evil use it as a weapon against it and the family and the vulnerable is spot-on.
The Gospel of Jesus Christ hinges on His death at our hands on the cross and His resurrection to take back those who denied Him, betrayed Him, crucified Him—and still do. He was sent here to forgive us our sin and save us from ourselves. . . .that basic fundamental of the faith not only needs to be communicate in our vacant churches but taken out on the highways, the wilderness, and through technology. People are hurting and running from death and suffering into self and immediate gratification and the flesh looking for the divine spark within. It is a dead-end.
Let’s hand over the real Jesus Christ–their alien righteousness–who comes from outside and saves them from themselves not for themselves, and for His purpose.
Thank God, for He can and will use the IPhone, IPad, Webpages and anything else if only Hhe had disciples to do His work. He apparently does—lets do it together!
Jaynan
WordAlone Ministries
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