I. Dogmatics

Absolution is the assurance, in the context of confession (II; III), that sins have been forgiven. The history of absolution traces back to Matt 16:19; 18:18; John 20:22f. Drawing on Thomas Aquinas (Summa theologiae III, q. 84), the Councils of Florence (DH, 1323) and Trent (DH, 1673) defined absolution as the form of the sacrament of penance or repentance (IV), which has as its matter the actions of the penitent (Penitence, confession, satisfaction). The relati…