Reconciliation

For Further Reading

Adrias, Chris. Reconciliation: Celebrating God's Healing Forgiveness (Doubleday Image Books, 1987) is a practical introduction to the sacrament as it is celebrated today.

Brennan, Patrick. Penance and Reconciliation (Thomas More Press, 1986) looks at the past history, present practice, and future possibilities of the sacrament.

Buckley, Francis. Reconciling (Ave Maria Press, 1981) meditates on various aspects of the mystery of forgiveness in preparation for the celebration of the sacrament.

Dallen, James. Removing the Barriers (Liturgy Training Publications, 1991) tries to reclaim some of the sacrament's past functions and explore some future possibilities.

DeGidio, Sandra. Reconciliation: Sacrament With a Future (St. Anthony Messenger Press, 1985) is a compact introduction to the sacrament and its theology today.

Donahue, Quentin, and Linda Shapiro. Bless Me, Father, For I Have Sinned (Donald I. Fine, 1984) proves that history can be humorous and that theology can be undertaken by ordinary people.

Doran, Kevin. More Joy in Heaven! (Liturgical Press, 1988) is a sensible and occasionally humorous introduction to the meaning and practice of confession.

Fernandez, Domiciano. The Father's Forgiveness (Liturgical Press, 1991) argues that general absolution without individual confession should be more widely practiced in the Catholic Church.

Guzie, Tad, and John McIlhon. The Forgiveness of Sin (Thomas More Press, 1979) examines the meaning of sacrament and forgiveness in the light of the new rite for confession.

Hamelin, Léonce. Reconciliation in the Church (Liturgical Press, 1980) discusses reasons for the sacrament and explains the three forms of the new rite.

Maloney, George. Your Sins Are Forgiven You (Alba House, 1994) offers a scriptural and spiritual reintroduction to the sacrament for those who no longer find it meaningful.

Munoz, Hector. Will You Hear My Confession? (Alba House, 1982) gives detailed directions on how to make an old-fashioned examination of conscience.

Upton, Julia. A Time for Embracing (Liturgical Press, 1999) faces the complex issues connected with sacramental reconciliation without offering simple answers.

For Further Study
History and Theology

Connolly, Hugh. The Irish Penitentials (Four Courts Press, 1995) explains the Celtic understanding of moral conversion in terms related to the heart rather than in legalistic terms.

Dallen, James. The Reconciling Community (Pueblo, 1986) offers a detailed and documented history of the sacrament, and a complete commentary on the revised rite.

Haliczer, Stephen. Sexuality in the Confessional (Oxford University Press, 1996) examines in detail sacramental practice and clerical malpractice in the sixteenth and seventeenth century.

Hellwig, Monika. Sign of Reconciliation and Conversion (Michael Glazier, 1982) discusses the major aspects of the sacrament historically and theologically.

Jones, L. Gregory. Embodying Forgiveness (William B. Eerdmans, 1995) develops a rich theology of forgiveness, based in part on the contributions of Dietrich Bonhoeffer.

McNeill, John. Medieval Handbooks of Penance (Columbia University Press, 1990) reissue of the 1938 translation of selections from the most important penitentials, with introduction and commentary.

Myers, W. David. "Poor, Sinning Folk" (Cornell University Press, 1996) describes how the sacrament of penance was reformed in response to Protestant criticisms of late medieval practices.

Orsy, Ladislas. The Evolving Church and the Sacrament of Penance (Dimension Books, 1978) looks at the larger issue of change in the church, using penance as an example.

Osborne, Kenan. Reconciliation and Justification (Paulist Press, 1990) thoroughly examines the history of the sacrament in light of the theological issue of justification.

Poschmann, Bernhard. Penance and the Anointing of the Sick (Herder and Herder, 1964) presents a scholarly and detailed account of the history of penance, with chapters on indulgences and the anointing of the sick.

Witherup, Ronald. Conversion in the New Testament (Liturgical Press, 1994) summarizes the process of interior transformation as described in the gospels and epistles.

Liturgical and Pastoral Dimensions

Carmody, John. Reexamining Conscience (Seabury Press, 1982) encourages self-examination of beliefs and values, commitments and behaviors in light of Jesus' command to love God and neighbor.

Chappell, Arthur Barker. Regular Confession (Peter Lang, 1992) explains how this practice can aid continuous conversion and spiritual growth.

Collins, Mary, and David Power, eds. The Fate of Confession (T. Clark, 1987) contains articles on pastoral, theological, and ecumenical aspects of liturgical reconciliation.

Cooke, Bernard. Reconciled Sinners: Healing Human Brokenness (Twenty-Third Publications, 1986) discusses many dimensions of sin and the need for personal, liturgical, and social reconciliation.

Cuschieri, Andrew. The Sacrament of Reconciliation (University Press of America, 1992) is an exposition of the sacrament from the perspective of Catholic canon law and scholastic theology.

Fink, Peter, ed. Alternative Futures for Worship, Volume 4: Reconciliation (Liturgical Press, 1987) contains articles on the history, psychology, and theology of reconciliation, as well as suggestions for new liturgical rites.

Gula, Richard. To Walk Together Again (Paulist Press, 1984) clearly articulates the contemporary Catholic understanding of the sacrament and its theology.

Henchal, Michael, ed. Repentance and Reconciliation in the Church (Liturgical Press, 1987) presents four insightful articles on theological and pastoral issues connected with the new rite.

Kennedy, Robert, ed. Reconciliation: The Continuing Agenda (Liturgical Press, 1987) contains articles that address a variety of theological and pastoral, liturgical and canonical issues.

The Rite of Penance: Commentaries (Liturgical Conference, 1975, 1976, 1978) comprises three volumes with a variety of articles on understanding, implementing, and evaluating the new rite.

Tierney, Clement. The Sacrament of Penance and Reconciliation (Costello, 1983) offers a scholarly investigation of the theology underlying the revised rite of penance.

Social Dimensions

Baum, Gregory, and Harold Wells, eds. The Reconciliation of Peoples (Orbis Books, 1997) looks at the church's role (or lack of it) in mediating social conflict and violence.

Kraybill, Ronald. Repairing the Breach (Herald Press, 1981) says that Christians can and should be instruments of reconciliation in conflicts between individuals and between groups.

Schreiter, Robert. The Ministry of Reconciliation (Orbis Books, 1998) uses the stories of Jesus' resurrection to provide insight into the process of social reconciliation today.

Schreiter, Robert. Reconciliation: Mission and Ministry in a Changing Social Order (Orbis Books, 1992) shows how Christians can develop social ministries of reconciliation.

Snyder, T. Richard. Once You Were No People (Meyer Stone Books, 1988) discusses the church's role in overcoming the alienations inherent in contemporary society.

Volf, Miroslav. Exclusion and Embrace (Abingdon Press, 1996) comes out of the experience of ethnic violence in Croatia and the struggle to practice Christ's command to forgive one's enemies.

Wilson, Earl and Sandy, Paul and Virginia Friesen, and Larry and Nancy Paulson. Restoring the Fallen (Inter-Varsity Press, 1997) describes a ministry of reconciliation, primarily within families, in a Protestant church setting.

Ecumenical Dimensions

Chryssavgis, John. Repentence and Confession in the Orthodox Church (Holy Cross Orthodox Press, 1990) introduces and documents the Orthodox understanding of the sacrament.

Dudley, Martin, and Geoffrey Rowell. Confession and Absolution (Liturgical Press, 1990) contains historical and pastoral articles written in an ecumenical spirit, with special emphasis given to the Church of England.

Hyde, Clarke. To Declare God's Forgiveness (Morehouse Barlow, 1984) offers a pastoral theology of the sacrament as it is practiced in the Anglican church.

Jennings, Theodore. The Liturgy of Liberation (Abingdon Press, 1988) discusses the confession of sins in public worship, in pastoral counseling, and in Protestant ritual.

Smith, Martin. Reconciliation (Cowley Publications, 1985) discusses the hows and whys of confession in the Episcopal church.

Thurian, Max. Confession (SCM Press, 1958) examines the meaning and practice of confession from the perspective of the reformed churches.

The Meaning of Sin

Fagan, Sean. Has Sin Changed? (Michael Glazier, 1977) is a rather clear book on a sometimes murky subject.

Gaffney, James. Sin Reconsidered (Paulist Press, 1983) contrasts the traditional idea of sins as wrongful actions with a broader notion of sin as a lack of proper relationship.

Maly, Eugene. Sin: Biblical Perspectives (Pflaum/ Standard, 1973) uses modern scripture scholarship to reevaluate the Christian concept of sin and forgiveness.

McCormick, Patrick. Sin as Addiction (Paulist Press, 1989) proposes addiction as a disease model of both individual and social sinfulness.

Peters, Ted. Sin: Radical Evil in Soul and Society (William B. Eerdmans, 1994) is a systematic treatment of sin, combining traditional and contemporary insights into individual and social evil.

Schoonenberg, Piet. Man and Sin (University of Notre Dame Press, 1965) is a classic in the contemporary rethinking of the meaning of sin.

The Order of Penitents

Favazza, Joseph. The Order of Penitents: Historical Roots and Pastoral Future (Liturgical Press, 1987) presents a detailed investigation into the ancient practice and a brief proposal for a contemporary version of it.

Lopresti, James. Penance: A Reform Proposal for the Rite (Pastoral Press, 1987) outlines how a new form for the rite of penance could be developed for inviting the alienated to return to membership in the church.

Mick, Lawrence. Penance: The Once and Future Sacrament (Liturgical Press, 1987) reviews the history of the sacrament and suggests ways that it can be restructured to meet new needs.