The Sacrament of Reconciliation, Second Edition: An Anthropological and Scriptural Understanding

This anthropological foundation includes a brief overview of how non-biblical religions deal with sin and purification as well as the revelation of the human need for reconciliation presented in Sacred Scripture. Fastiggi carefully unwraps the Old Testament and New Testament narratives that cover original sin, human rebellion, the need for reconciliation, conversion, forgiveness, and the remission of sin. His section on the sacrament in Church history lays out a comprehensive overview of its development from the Patristic period to the period immediately before Vatican II, along with recent magisterial development through the pontificate of Pope Francis.

Appropriate for undergraduate, graduate, and seminary courses as well as those interested in a deeper understanding of the Sacrament of Reconciliation, this book is a necessary contribution to the study and practice of this rich sacrament.