Confession & Forgiveness

I have been doing some reading this week and find it difficult when people use terms I do not understand. People like to use old German, Latin, or Greek phrases which I would prefer to have translated for me. But then I think about watching star trek and do not have any problem when they do not translate the Klingon phrases. Why do we want theological terms broken down, while other areas of life we enjoy the changes.

This is the one phrase I think most people have a difficult time with, Confession and Absolution. Most people would desire for Absolution to be simplified to Forgiveness. I actually enjoy this idea because kids tend to understand Forgiveness as a word verses Absolution. This may be because we tend not to use the phrase Absolve, anymore. But Forgiveness is a word people hear all the time in scripture. Maybe it is just our different English translations.

But most of the time we talk to people about Forgiveness they tend not to really understand what that word means either. As smart as our culture is, I think people are not theologically smart or as some say Biblically Literate anymore. This are still tasks that we need to undertake. Confession & Absolution is key to the Christian life, but if people do not understand what these words mean they need to be taught. We need to continue to teach people new terms and phrases while at the same time making things easier to understand. Thank you.

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