Views During the Third Period (750-1517 A.D.) (52): The Seven Sacraments: Penance

We concluded our preceding article by quoting Chapter VI of the decrees of the Council of Trent on the Roman Catholic doctrine of the sacrament of penance. This sixth article or chapter decrees that absolution must be granted by the priest. It also teaches that even priests, who themselves are in mortal sin, exercise the office of forgiving sins, as the ministers of Christ and through the virtue of the Holy Ghost Who was bestowed upon them in ordination. We concluded our preceding article by...