How do Protestant/Christian churches address the sacrament of penance?..

[Princess Turandot]

I think it is not treated the same way as Catholics treat it.
I'm curious if it involves any rites, if it is considered a personal thing between wo(man) and God, something else all together or not considered?

[RevCheesehead]

1. That's an excellent question.

It varies widely, depending on denomination, region, and whim of the pastor.

Churches with a fixed liturgy have a standard prayer of confession, usually done in unison. Other churches, frankly, completely avoid confession altogether, choosing instead to focus on other things.

In my denomination (UMC), we only have two sacraments: Baptism, and Holy Communion (Eucharist). We tend to speak of forgiveness, rather than penance. Somehow, I think we've missed something important by doing that. I think it would be safe to say that most Protestants see any act of confession as a private matter between the individual and God.

I try to write a confession in the opening prayer, but sometimes that doesn't work. I usually incorporate either confession or the need of grace/forgiveness in the prayers of the people.

Occasionally, I will have someone come and speak with me, sometimes seeking guidance, or easing a guilty conscience. This usually takes the form of pastoral counseling, rather than penance.

[Princess Turandot]

2. I've been curious about it for awhile..

growing up in an ethnic community, most of the people I knew were RC.
Then afterwards in highschool, many of my friends were Jewish or of one of the East Asian based faiths. Even later on, many of my work associates were also RC, whether practicing or 'lapsed'!.

[Left Is Write]

3. I belong to the ELCA.

There is no penance. There is confession and forgiveness as part of the liturgy, with a moment of silence for individual concerns on our hearts. As Rev Cheesehead says, the emphasis is on absolution and forgiveness rather than penance.

[Lydia Leftcoast]

4. In most Protestant churches, there is no counterpart to

the Catholic practice of being told to say the Rosary or something as penance for one's sins.

Most confessions of sins are done publicly in a group, saying a generic Confession of Sins and, evidently, expecting that God knows what we're talking about anyway.

If a person is troubled by a particular sin, he or she is always free to consult a clergy person for private confession and counseling. Episcopalians probably have private confession more than other Protestants, especially if they're "high church."

[Princess Turandot]

5. I should probably have asked abt 'confession' rather than penance..

that was really my question, the notion of telling one's sins to another person as opposed to God directly, not the idea of performing 'penance'.

[supernova]

6. I'm Presby USA

We're similar to Rev Cheeshead's UMC. We have Baptism and Communion (Eucharist)

We say a group confession as part of the liturgy every week. It's part of the "call and response" part of the service. Immediately after that comes the assurance of pardon, also call and response.

I'm rather stubborn though, because I don't always say it. I won't if I don't feel a particular confession of the week applies to me. :evilgrin:

But I make up for that by talking to God all during the week, anyway. She knows what I'm up to! :D

[pelagius]

7. In the Episcopal Church USA...

...a general confession is made (and absolution given) at nearly every Eucharist. Private confession is available and there is a liturgy for it:

http://holycross-raleigh.org/bcp/447.html

The general Episcopalian attitude toward private confession is "All may, some should, none must."