Lutheranism

====Confession====
{{Main|Confession (Lutheran Church)}}
Many Lutherans receive the sacrament of penance before receiving the Eucharist.<ref name="Richard1909">{{cite book|last=Richard|first=James William|title=The Confessional History of the Lutheran Church|url=https://archive.org/details/cu31924084658248|year=1909|publisher=Lutheran Publication Society|language=en |page=[https://archive.org/details/cu31924084658248/page/n128 113]|quote=In the Luthearn Church, private confession was at first ''voluntary''. Later, in portions of the Lutheran Church, it was made obligatory, as a test of orthodoxy, and as a preparation of the Lord's Supper.}}</ref><ref name="Kolb2008"/> Prior to going to Confessing and receiving Absolution, the faithful are expected to examine their lives in light of the [[s:Luther's Small Catechism#I. THE TEN COMMANDMENTS,|Ten Commandments]].<ref name="Wendel1997"/> An [[s:Luther's Small Catechism#V. HOW THE UNLEARNED SHOULD BE TAUGHT TO CONFESS.|order of Confession and Absolution]] is contained in the Small Catechism, as well as in liturgical books.<ref name="Wendel1997"/> Lutherans typically kneel at the [[communion rail]]s to confess their sins, while the confessor listens and then offers absolution while laying their [[Stole (vestment)|stole]] on the penitent's head.<ref name="Wendel1997">{{cite book|last=Wendel|first=David M. |title=Manual for the Recovery of a Parish Practice of Individual Confession and Absolution|url=http://www.societyholytrinity.org/oldsite/confession.pdf|year=1997|publisher=The Society of the Holy Trinity|pages=2, 7, 8, 11}}</ref> Clergy are prohibited from revealing anything said during private Confession and Absolution per the [[Seal of the Confessional (Lutheran Church)|Seal of the Confessional]], and face [[excommunication]] if it is violated. Apart from this, [[Laestadian Lutheran]]s have a practice of [[lay confession]].<ref name="Granquist2015">{{cite book|last=Granquist|first=Mark A.|title=Scandinavian Pietists: Spiritual Writings from 19th-Century Norway, Denmark, Sweden, and Finland|year=2015|publisher=Paulist Press|language=en|isbn=9781587684982|page=34|quote=Initially, Laestadius exercised his ministry mainly among the indigenous Sami (Lapp) people, but his influence soon spread into areasa of northern Finland, and the Laestadian (or Apostolic Lutheran) movement became predominantly Finnish. Even though he was a university-trained pastor and scientist (he was a renowned botanist), his powerful preaching and spiritual example ignited a lay-awakening movement in the north, a movement that is known for its distinctive religious practices, including lay confession and absolution.}}</ref>