Aug 26, 2026 · 29 min · 9 segments
In this episode, Kip and Steve explore the history and theology of confession and absolution in Lutheran worship. They trace two major traditions, including the Mecklenburg and Saxon forms, examining…
Steve ZankHost
Kip FoxHost
I think it's helpful because really what we're doing, we talk about confession and absolution is just that.
It's a relational experience, right? So when you do something wrong or don't live up to what you're called to in a relationship, you say you're sorry.
And really what in my experience of confession, what happens is you get just real.
And today in our show on Confession and Absolution, what I'd like to do, Kip, is talk a little bit about some of the different forms you find, specifically in something like this, Lutheran Service Book, which is a fantastic resource that's from the Lutheran Church of Missouri Synod.
And in it, you'll find five different settings of Lutheran worship, hymns and creeds and all kinds of great stuff in there to find in the hymnal.
But the reason why I bring it up is, Kip, I want to talk about the history of the confessions we find in there.
And I think what you'll find is it's not going to be exhaustive, but I just want to raise a few points of interest.
The first thing I'll say as a point of caveat is I've published two things on this topic.
I don't know how I got into the topic of confession and absolution, but if you want, you can find I translated a piece by Timothy Fuch, who's a German scholar who wrote about Luther's general confession prayer and actually misnamed.
And so he goes through a history of a certain kind of confession they're used to in Germany.
And also I wrote a piece for Lutheran Mission Matters on the same topic on confession absolution.
So I want to share with you some of the things I've learned along the way in my journey, studying it and raise some issues to talk about.
I think it's helpful because really what we're doing, we talk about confession and absolution is just that.
It's a relational experience, right? So when you do something wrong or don't live up to what you're called to in a relationship, you say you're sorry.
And really what in my experience of confession, what happens is you get just real.
And today in our show on Confession and Absolution, what I'd like to do, Kip, is talk a little bit about some of the different forms you find, specifically in something like this, Lutheran Service Book, which is a fantastic resource that's from the Lutheran Church of Missouri Synod.
And in it, you'll find five different settings of Lutheran worship, hymns and creeds and all kinds of great stuff in there to find in the hymnal.
But the reason why I bring it up is, Kip, I want to talk about the history of the confessions we find in there.
And I think what you'll find is it's not going to be exhaustive, but I just want to raise a few points of interest.
The first thing I'll say as a point of caveat is I've published two things on this topic.
I don't know how I got into the topic of confession and absolution, but if you want, you can find I translated a piece by Timothy Fuch, who's a German scholar who wrote about Luther's general confession prayer and actually misnamed.
And so he goes through a history of a certain kind of confession they're used to in Germany.
And also I wrote a piece for Lutheran Mission Matters on the same topic on confession absolution.
So I want to share with you some of the things I've learned along the way in my journey, studying it and raise some issues to talk about.
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