The Art of Confession
The Fertile Ground of Restoration

by Dr. Steve Cappa, Clinical Director

In earlier newsletters, we have shared various ideas and experiences regarding the problems that are common to clergy and some notions on how a healthier spiritual, physical and emotional life might be achieved. To those who read this newsletter, it is understood why clergy seek the services of Marble Retreat Christian counseling: Burnout, moral failures, marital conflict and spiritual emptiness are but a few of the struggles common to the clergy who come to this wonderful place of restoration.

There exists, however, a fair amount of curiosity as to what actually happens when folks come up here for counseling and how they are able to experience God’s wonderful healing touch. While the factors that contribute to transformation and healing are numerous, I might suggest that the most significant element that contributes to change is the “art of confession.” I would like to dedicate this article to this biblical, odd yet very powerful term, concept and spiritually-based exercise that seems to repeatedly set the stage for a healthier life in us all and most certainly, in the clergy that attend Marble Retreat.

Confession is a most interesting term and one that is, to be sure, an integral part of a Christian life. Confession might be defined as an “acknowledgment or avowal, an admission or concession” (The American College Dictionary, 1966). It usually contains a disclosure of some kind and, for the sake of this present article, this disclosure most powerfully involves some personal, historically cloistered and secluded part of one’s life. This, of course, assumes that we actually have things to confess, that we attempt to hide things in our lives from others, that we believe there are self-perceptions, events or elements in our lives that others do not see nor do we wish for them to be seen. This is often an illusion since these “hidden things” in our lives often find outlets that are commonly observed by others.

Confession, in a forensic sense, involves the admission of guilt by someone accused of an infraction or crime against society. Confession, however, can also take the form of a proclamation, a statement or statements of certitude in life, particularly of one’s faith. A synonym for this understanding might be “creed” or “catechism”. We have in church history, the Apostle’s Creed, the Nicene Creed, examples of Protestant confessions of faith. From a Christian perspective, confession might be summarized by the following definition: The “acknowledgment, and praise of God’s character and glorious works, often with expression of man’s confession of faith in God and in his Son, Jesus Christ; also man’s confession to God in his sins and wicked works.” (Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Theology, 1984).

Confession is a term and practice that is steeped in both Old Testament and New Testament writings and one that we are strongly urged to exercise today! Consider the following biblical proclamations: “The Lord reigns, let the nations tremble; he sits enthroned between the cherubim, let the earth shake. Great is the Lord in Zion; he is exalted over all the nations. Let them praise your great and awesome name- he is holy (Psalm 99:1-5).” Confession of sin, as a means of salvation or restoration, is also strongly emphasized in scripture: “Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. (James 5:16).”

For those of us who might be interested in statistics, the word “confession” and its derivatives appear approximately 50 times in the Bible. Given the biblical mandates throughout scripture, the rich confessional traditions throughout church history and based upon what we feel is a crucial component to transformation and restoration, we may conclude that the exercising of confession is a critical component to a healthy Christian life. This is most certainly true with the clergy that come to Marble Retreat!

To further reflect and summarize, confession is an integral part of the Christian life! It involves the sharing of one’s joys and burdens with at least one other person, ideally a trusted fellow believer. The purpose of confession is to liberate us from ourselves! That is, God wishes for us to live more freely and openly, to live in an ever greater relationship with Him and with His people. To hold especially negative thoughts, experiences, feelings and perceptions excessively inside of ourselves requires a certain amount of emotional energy, which limits us in other areas.

Generally speaking and with some exception, people almost always feel relieved after they have shared some previously held feeling or perception about themselves -- especially the negative, debasing ones! Confession is never easy! God’s word calls us to be “confessional people” though, to be sure, this requires a great deal of strength, courage and faith in the freedom that can come from the process.

In my opinion, the opposite of confession is loneliness! That is, when one withholds things about themselves, usually out of fear and/or shame, one has a natural tendency to withdraw from relationship, resulting in loneliness. Loneliness can be understood simply as the frustrated desire for relationship with another. Loneliness is marked by sadness, anxiety, worry, fear and often anger.

Another symptom of failing to be a confessional person is that of a seared conscience. A seared conscience requires a strong effort to not think or feel about a negative aspect of our lives. A hearts can become hardened, a common accompanying feeling with that of loneliness. When we share of ourselves (this implies interacting with another!) and it goes well, we are far less lonely, our hearts are more open and therefore, we are more complete in God’s design for us.

But how might confession occur, especially within our walls up here in these Rocky Mountains? Very simple: SAFETY and FAITH! In order for a person to confess (at least the kind of confessions that occur at Marble Retreat!), they must first feel safe. We are very firm and clear about the privacy and security of the dear clergy that come to Marble Retreat. Furthermore, the setting of Marble Retreat is a quiet setting, free from traffic and other such distractions. This helps to establish a safe setting, a confessional setting.

Safety also comes through a sense of tolerance in the audience, the recipients of the confession. Often, people fear that the things they are about to share will result in catastrophic consequences, that their own pain and discomfort will actually increase! Recipients of confessions must be able to “hold,” to tolerate the words and feelings of the confessor. Safety also comes through the reasonable guarantee that what is shared is private -- that it is between the confessor, the recipient and God alone. Too often in our churches, people share things that tragically end up in the “Gossip Channel," painfully exposing them and running the great risk of causing harm, embarrassment and humiliation. When this occurs, people will withdraw and withhold their thoughts and feelings, avoiding confession at all costs.

To conclude, there are some very clear biblical principles here. First off, it is assumed that we all are sinners that we all, therefore, have things to confess. Secondly, confession will not occur unless the confessor feels reasonably safe and secure and, even more importantly, that the recipients of the confession are stable themselves, able to tolerate that which might be about to be shared. Third, the purpose of confession is to ultimately draw us close to God and to one another, to obliterate loneliness, to foster a stronger and healthier community (e.g., marriage, family, church). Let us all resolve to be “confessional people”, for our own sakes and for the sake of the kingdom!