Confession: Looking into the eyes of
God
Paul Farren
The Columba Press £8.50
(978-1-85607-878-8)
Go in Peace: The art of hearing
confessions
Julia Gatta and Martin L. Smith
Canterbury Press £12.99
(978-1-84825-196-0)
Church Times Bookshop £11.70 (Use code
CT448 )
THESE are two contrasting books about the sacrament
of reconciliation, which we commonly describe as, "going to
confession". One is by a Roman Catholic, and the other by Anglicans
based in the United States. I seem to have had a lot to do with
sacramental confession, both before ordination and after. This is
because I am both a very great sinner and also much used as a
confessor.
Fr Paul Farren's book is a complete gem, encouraging
people to go to confession and to allow that to be a significant
way of growing towards God. It is not a particularly technical
book, but focuses mainly on the nature of God, to whom we confess
our sins, and of confession, an encounter with love. The wonder of
this book is that it does not emphasise the centrality of our
sinfulness, but emphasises that God confesses his love and his
trust in us. God is drawn to us, and waits for our response. A
beautiful way to end God's wait is to celebrate the sacrament of
reconciliation.
We are encouraged to look into the eyes of God to
realise the ways we may grow closer to the Divine. Towards the end
of the book, the writer uses the story of the rich young man to
encourage us in self-examination, and, with questions based on that
Gospel story, leads us to ask whether we want God to be the God of
our lives and Jesus to be welcomed into them. He also emphasises
that real contrition changes our lives as it draws us closer to
Jesus and his love. This is a Roman Catholic book, and refers to
the new Roman Rite of Reconciliation, which is not used by many
Anglicans.
Now, I have to confess that I turned from this gem
toGo in Peaceand found it rather technical and uninspiring. On
reflection, this was a poor reaction, because it is a very well
written and researched book. It discusses the whys and wherefores
of confession and is written more for the benefit of confessors
than of penitents, rather in the fashion of Belton'sManual for
Confessors, although less quaint.
After a long chapter about the nature of confession,
the book discusses the confessor, saying, among other things, that
he or she will need enough knowledge, sensitivity, and
self-restraint to deal with complex issues that straddle moral
boundaries. I, rather, believe that the qualifications for being a
confessor are being a sinner, a penitent, and someone with a
desire, no matter how badly lived out, that God be loved and that
we human beings should allow God to love us.
Go in Peace ends with specimen confession
sessions comprising the confession, the advice, and what the
penance may be, although it is not named as such. They remind me of
counselling training of old, and are also far too neat and
tidy.
Perhaps reading Farren's book might encourage the
"many" of the old adage about confession, "All may, none must, many
should," to turn away from the more commonly practised "All may,
none must, catch me!"
Prebendary Scott is Sub Dean of Her Majesty's
Chapels Royal.
