Articles
- Impact of the Bible
- The cultural influence of the Bible and Christianity in England
- Bible in English culture, The
- English Bible Translations
- Influence of the Book of Common Prayer on the English language
- A history of the church in England
- Culture and sung Christian worship
- Famous stories from the Bible
- Literary titles from the Bible
- Common Sayings from the Bible
- Big ideas from the Bible
- Angels
- Anointing
- Apocalypse, Revelation, the End Times, the Second Coming
- Atonement and sacrifice
- Baptism
- Blood
- Bread
- Bride and marriage
- Cain and Abel
- Christians
- Community, church, the body of Christ
- Creation, creativity, image of God
- Cross, crucifixion
- Darkness
- Death and resurrection
- Devils
- Donkey, ass
- Doubt and faith
- Dove
- Dreams, visions and prophecy
- Exile
- Fire
- Forgiveness, mercy and grace
- Garden of Eden, Adam and Eve, 'Second Adam'
- Goats
- Inheritance and heirs
- Jews, Hebrews, Children of Israel, Israelites
- Journey of faith, Exodus, pilgrims and sojourners
- Judgement
- Last Supper, communion, eucharist, mass
- Light
- Lion
- Lost, seeking, finding, rescue
- Messiah, Christ, Jesus
- Miracles
- Mission, evangelism, conversion
- Moses
- Noah and the flood
- Parables
- Parents and children
- Passover
- Path, way
- Patriarchs
- Peace
- Penitence, repentance, penance
- Prayer
- Promised Land, Diaspora, Zionism
- Psalms
- Redemption, salvation
- Rock and stone
- Salt
- Seed, sowing
- Serpent, Devil, Satan, Beast
- Sheep, shepherd and lamb
- Sin
- Slavery
- Soul
- Temple, tabernacle
- Temptation
- Ten Commandments, The
- Trinity, Holy Spirit
- Vine, vineyard
- Water
- Wisdom and foolishness
- Women in the Bible
- Word of God
- Investigating the Bible
- Literary allusions to the Bible
- Pilgrimage in literature
- Biblical style in poetry
- Biblical imagery in metaphysical poetry
- Bible/Literature intertextuality
- The cultural influence of the Bible and Christianity in England
Penitence, repentance, penance
The root meaning of penitence is connected with the idea of ‘regret', but is also closely linked with repentance, or being repentant, which has the sense of ‘turning round' or ‘turning away' from a former life and beginning again. Jews and Christians believe it is important to repent of sin and begin a new life lived in obedience to God; this is central to their faith. In the Gospels (Luke 3:3), John the Baptist is shown preparing for the coming of the Messiah by urging people to be baptised as a sign of repentance (see Big ideas: Baptism; Messiah, Christ, Jesus; Sin).
Repentance
Some Christians believe that, when Christ died on the cross, he made a sacrifice, which paid the necessary price for the sin of humankind. This act of redemption offers salvation to the world (see Big ideas: Atonement and sacrifice; Cross, crucifixion; Death and resurrection; Redemption, salvation). Consequently, God's forgiveness is freely granted to those who do repent (see Big ideas: Forgiveness, mercy and grace). However, some Christians believe that a sincere wish to repent is necessary before the sinner can receive God's forgiveness.
Repentance in literature
In his play Hamlet, Shakespeare shows that the murderer Claudius cannot truly repent because he wishes to keep the throne and queen for which he has killed his brother: ‘Try what repentance can: what can it not? Yet what can it when one cannot repent?'
Acts of penance
In previous centuries, it was more common than it is nowadays to perform public acts of penance. These were acts of humiliation undertaken as a penalty for sin and to show true penitence. Examples include walking in a public place barefoot or wearing sackcloth, or by the person approaching a holy place on their knees.
Historically, there have been instances of leading figures in society undertaking such public penance. For example, when King Henry II was implicated in the murder of Archbishop Thomas Becket, he walked barefoot, clothed in sackcloth and covered with ashes, to Canterbury Cathedral where he was flogged by the monks. Processions of robed and hooded penitents are still a common sight today in Spain during Holy Week.
Expressing penitence
Nowadays penitence is usually indicated by confession of sins, whether in public or in private. The Book of Common Prayer, used for over four centuries in the Church of England, urges worshippers to,
A modern version asks the congregation to,
(See also Liturgy Morning Prayer:Confession.)
Penitence in literature
Hawthorne's The Scarlet Letter
In his novel The Scarlet Letter, set in Massachusetts, America, in the seventeenth century, Nathaniel Hawthorne shows how outward signs of penitence, imposed by church officials, might not reflect the mind and soul of the offender. Hawthorne's heroine, Hester Prynne, is made to wear a scarlet letter ‘A' as a sign of adultery, but she rejects the harsh attitudes of her society and feels no inward penitence.
Related topics
Big ideas: Atonement and sacrifice; Baptism; Cross, crucifixion; Death and resurrection; Forgiveness, mercy and grace; Messiah, Christ, Jesus; Redemption, salvation; Sin
Other cultural references
Hawthorne's The Scarlet Letter
Shakespeare's Hamlet
- English Standard Version
- King James Version
- Modern
- The following or another authorized confession. Jesus says, 'Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is close at hand.' So let us turn away from our sin and turn to Christ, confessing our sins in penitence and faith. All: Lord God, we have sinned against you; we have done evil in your sight. We are sorry and repent. Have mercy on us according to your love. Wash away our wrongdoing and cleanse us from our sin. Renew a right spirit within us and restore us to the joy of your salvation; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.(Common Worship)
- Traditional
- A general Confession to be said of the whole Congregation after the Minister, all kneeling. ALMIGHTY and most merciful Father; We have erred, and strayed from thy ways like lost sheep. We have followed too much the devices and desires of our own hearts. We have offended against thy holy laws. We have left undone those things which we ought to have done; And we have done those things which we ought not to have done; And there is no health in us. But thou, O Lord, have mercy upon us, miserable offenders. Spare thou them, O God, who confess their faults. Restore thou them that are penitent; According to thy promises declared unto mankind in Christ Jesu our Lord. And grant, O most merciful Father, for his sake; That we may hereafter live a godly, righteous, and sober life, To the glory of thy holy Name. Amen.(Book of Common Prayer)
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