Sin, Penance And Confession From A Protestant Perspective

Although the reality of evil and moral weakness belongs to the most commonhuman experience, only rational analysis does not allow for the rightful understandingof these aspects of the human condition. Christianity comes to man’said here when it sheds supernatural light on its essence and Divine origin, and atthe same time on weakness and the need of grace. In view of the entire Christiantradition, Protestantism appears as an important and serious tradition, howeverevaluated sometimes as unilateral or extremely pessimistic. "e Reformationalassumptions and multi-century subsequent history of theological thought andsacramental-pastoral practice, particularly in Lutheran, Calvinist and Anglicantradition, demand careful studies and analyses, so that this aspect of humanfate and supernatural destiny should be comprehensively understood.