The Catholic Church practice of granting indulgences, criticized by Martin Luther in the 16th century, still exists, as part of the doctrine – but in a different form.
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Articles on confession
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Churches’ struggles to respond to the plague and constant warfare in the 14th and 15th centuries helped shape the kinds of Christianity in the world today.
Pope Francis recently removed a rule known as Pontifical Secrecy, which allowed clergy and church officials to withhold information regarding sexual abuse. Will it make the church truly transparent?
Following the sexual abuse scandals, there is a push to force the Catholic Church to compromise the confidentiality of the confessional. A Catholic scholar explains why confession is so important.
From Steve Smith’s tearful apology to anonymous apps like Whisper, public confessions can be therapeutic, emancipatory, or potentially exploitative.
Pope Francis is trying to address gaps in the regulatory processes of the Catholic Church. But clergy can still decide whether, and to what degree, to share information.
Leonardo da Vinci emphasized the naturalness of the relationship of Jesus and Mary in his art, while also inviting viewers into a religious message.
The pope’s action is significant: It encourages priests to be more sensitive to the context of the lives of their laity.
Top contributors
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Professor of Religious Studies, College of the Holy Cross
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Professor of Law, University at Buffalo
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Professor of English, Flinders University
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Affiliated Faculty of Bioethics, Religion, and Society, Department of Religious Studies, DePaul University
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Haub Director of Catholic Studies, Georgetown University
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Associate Professor of History, Colorado State University
