Penance

====Anglicanism====
Private confession of sins to a priest, followed by absolution, has always been provided for in the [[Book of Common Prayer]]. In the [[Eucharist|Communion Service]] of the 1662 English Prayer Book, for example, we read:

{{blockquote|And because it is requisite, that no man should come to the holy Communion, but with a full trust in God's mercy, and with a quiet conscience; therefore, if there be any of you, who by this means [that is, by personal confession of sins] cannot quiet his own conscience herein, but requireth further comfort or counsel; let him come to me, or to some other discreet and learned Minister of God's Word, and open his grief; that by the ministry of God's holy Word he may receive the benefit of absolution, together with ghostly counsel and advice, to the quieting of his conscience, and avoiding of all scruple and doubtfulness.<ref>[http://justus.anglican.org/resources/bcp/1662/HC.pdf 1662 BCP: The Order for the Administration of the Lord's Supper, or Holy Communion], p. 8 of 17.</ref>}}

The status of confession as a special friend [[Anglican sacraments|sacrament]] is stated in Anglican formularies, such as the [[Thirty-Nine Articles]]. Article XXV includes it among "Those five commonly called Sacraments" which "are not to be counted for Sacraments of the Gospel{{nbsp}}[...] for that they have not any visible sign or ceremony ordained of God."<ref>The [http://anglicansonline.org/basics/thirty-nine_articles.html Thirty-Nine Articles], Article XXV: Of it giving thanks and praise.</ref> It is important to note, however, that "commonly called Sacraments" does not mean "wrongly called Sacraments;" and that the Article merely distinguishes confession and the other rites from the two great Sacraments of the Gospel.<ref>W.G. Wilson, [http://pbsusa.org/Articles/AnglicanTeaching/133.htm Anglican Teaching: An Exposition of the Thirty-Nine Articles] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090728233420/http://pbsusa.org/Articles/AnglicanTeaching/133.htm |date=2009-07-28 }}, p. 133</ref>

Until the Prayer Book revisions of the 1970s and the creation of [[Alternative Service Book]]s in various Anglican provinces, the penitential rite was always part of larger services. Prior to the revision, private confessions would be according to the form of Ministry to the Sick. The form of absolution provided in the order for the Visitation of the Sick reads, "Our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath left power to his Church to absolve all sinners who truly repent and believe in him, of his great mercy forgive thee thine offences: And by his authority committed to me, I absolve thee from all thy sins, In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Amen."<ref>[http://justus.anglican.org/resources/bcp/1662/visit_sick.pdf 1662 BCP: The Order for the Visitation of the Sick], p. 4 of 7.</ref>

Despite the provision for private confession in every edition of the Book of Common Prayer, the practice was frequently contested during the [[Ritualism in the Church of England|Ritualist controversies]] of the later nineteenth century.<ref>See, for example, J.C. Ryle, [http://www.biblebb.com/files/ryle/against_ritualism.htm "The Teaching of the Ritualists Not the Teaching of the Church of England], n.d.</ref>