Confession - by Jim Forest (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

It is never easy admitting doing something you regret and are ashamed of ... In the hard labor of growing up, one of the most agonizing tasks is becoming able to say, "I'm sorry." Once a defining feature of Christian life, the practice of confession has largely faded in recent years. And yet, without an acknowledgment of sin and the longing for forgiveness and reconciliation the Gospel makes little sense. In Confession Jim Forest offers a moving reappraisal of this neglected sacrament, drawing on scripture, the lives of the saints, and a wealth of personal stories. From St. Augustine and St. Paul, to Dorothy Day, Thomas Merton, and Dostoevsky, Forest shows how the practice of confession draws us deeper into a loving relationship with God, the body of Christ, and with our fellow sinners.

Review Quotes

Forest relates in his introduction that the purpose of this book is to help revive the once common practice of confession among Christians, which has been abandoned or neglected, to help the reader prepare a better confession and to help those who hear confessions better serve as Christ's witness. The author, who describes himself as an Orthodox Christian and who lives in the Netherlands, begins with a brief history of the tradition. He draws on scripture, stories from the saints, personal experiences, and even Dostoevsky's novels Crime and Punishment and The Brothers Karamazov. Forest explains the key elements in confession and discusses the Ten Commandments, the Beatitudes, the Last Judgment, and the Prayer of Ephraim the Syrian (recited by Orthodox Christians daily throughout Lent). Forest also explores the subject of finding a confessor and offers a selection of stories about confessions culled from his friends--laypeople, nuns, monks, and priests. This informative book includes a list of biblical texts to read in preparing for confession. George Cohen Copyright (c) American Library Association. All rights reserved

About the Author

Jim Forest, was the author of many Orbis books, including All Is Grace, Living with Wisdom, and At Play in the Lions' Den (his biographies of peacemakers Dorothy Day, Thomas Merton, and Daniel Berrigan). Other bestselling titles include Praying with Icons and Writing Straight with Crooked Lines: A Memoir