Absolution in a liturgical church refers to the pronouncement of God's forgiveness of sins.

Roman Catholic Church

Absolution is an integral part of the sacrament of penance and reconciliation. The penitent makes a sacramental confession of all mortal sins to a priest and prays an act of contrition. The priest then assigns a penance and offers absolution in the name of the Trinity, on behalf of the Church: This article is about the practice of confession in the Christian faith. ... According to the beliefs of Catholicism, a mortal sin, as distinct from a venial sin, must meet all of the following conditions: its subject must be ‘grave matter’; it must be committed with full knowledge, both of the sin and of the gravity of the offense; it must be committed... Roman Catholic priest LCDR Allen R. Kuss (USN) aboard USS Enterprise A priest or priestess is a holy man or woman who takes an officiating role in worship of any religion, with the distinguishing characteristic of offering sacrifices. ... The Act of Contrition is a prayer recited by the penitent during the Latin Rite Roman Catholic sacrament of Confession. ... Penance is the actual name of the Catholic Sacrament of Penance and Reconciliation (also called Confession). ... Within Christianity, the doctrine of the Trinity states that God is a single Being who exists, simultaneously and eternally, as a communion of three persons (personae, prosopa): Father (the Source, the Eternal Majesty); the Son (the eternal Logos or Word, incarnate as Jesus of Nazareth); and the Holy Spirit. ... The Roman Catholic Church (also known as the Catholic Church) is that Christian Church which is led by the Pope, the Bishop of Rome, currently Pope Benedict XVI. The Roman Catholic Church teaches that it is the one holy catholic and apostolic Church founded by Jesus Christ. ...

"God, the Father of mercies, through the death and resurrection of his Son has reconciled the world to himself and sent the Holy Spirit among us for the forgiveness of sins; through the ministry of the Church may God give you pardon and peace, and I absolve you from your sins in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen."

Absolution forgives the guilt associated with the penitent's sins, and removes the eternal punishment (Hell) associated with mortal sins. The penitent is still responsible for the temporal punishment (Purgatory) associated with the confessed sins, unless an indulgence is applied. Guilt is a word describing many concepts related to an emotion or condition caused by actions which are, or are believed to be, morally wrong. ... Medieval illustration of Hell in the Hortus deliciarum manuscript of Herrad of Landsberg (about 1180) Hell is, according to many religious beliefs, a place or a state of painful suffering. ... According to the beliefs of Catholicism, a mortal sin, as distinct from a venial sin, must meet all of the following conditions: its subject must be ‘grave matter’; it must be committed with full knowledge, both of the sin and of the gravity of the offense; it must be committed... The term purgatory is generally defined as the means by which the elect reach perfection before entering into the Kingdom of Heaven. The term purgatory in accordance with Catholic teaching, is a place or condition of temporal punishment for those who, departing this life in Gods grace are not... In Roman Catholic theology, an indulgence is the remission of the temporal punishment due to God for sin. ...

General absolution, where all eligible Catholics in a given area are granted absolution for unconfessed sins, is only granted in extreme emergencies where there is immediate danger of death. Anyone receiving general absolution who survives the emergency is required to make a full sacramental confession and receive regular absolution as soon as possible after the emergency. Only the diocesan bishop may allow general absolution. A contemporary example of general absolution was the Three Mile Island nuclear accident, where general absolution was granted to all Catholics endangered by the incident. A bishop is an ordained member of the Christian clergy who, in certain Christian churches, holds a position of authority. ... Three Mile Island Nuclear Generating Station consists of two nuclear reactors, each with its own containment building and cooling towers. ...

Anglicanism

In the Anglican Communion, absolution usually takes place after the General Confession during the Eucharist or during a Daily Rite. When possible, a priest or bishop makes this pronouncement. When a layperson or deacon makes this pronouncement, the formula is changed. Where a priest could say "forgive you", a deacon or layperson would say "forgive us". The Anglican Communion uses the compass rose as its symbol, signifying its worldwide reach and decentralized nature. ... The Eucharist or Communion or The Lords Supper, is the rite that Christians perform in fulfillment of Jesus instruction, recorded in the New Testament, to do in memory of him what he did at his Last Supper. ... Roman Catholic priest LCDR Allen R. Kuss (USN) aboard USS Enterprise A priest or priestess is a holy man or woman who takes an officiating role in worship of any religion, with the distinguishing characteristic of offering sacrifices. ... A bishop is an ordained member of the Christian clergy who, in certain Christian churches, holds a position of authority. ... In religious organizations, the laity comprises all lay persons collectively. ... Deacon is a role in the Christian Church which is generally associated with service of some kind, but which varies among theological and denominational traditions. ...

An absolution is also pronounced after the sacrament of the reconciliation of a penitent by the priest hearing the confession. A sacrament is a Christian rite that mediates divine grace. ... This article is about the practice of confession in the Christian faith. ... Roman Catholic priest LCDR Allen R. Kuss (USN) aboard USS Enterprise A priest or priestess is a holy man or woman who takes an officiating role in worship of any religion, with the distinguishing characteristic of offering sacrifices. ...

Often, physical actions accompany an absolution. A priest or bishop may make the sign of the cross in front of him or her, facing the congregation. Those receiving the absolution may, in addition, make the sign of the cross across their chests. The Sign of the Cross is a ritual performed mainly within Latin-Rite Catholicism, Eastern Orthodoxy and the Oriental Orthodox, as well as Eastern-Rite Catholicism, Anglicanism, and Lutheranism. ... A congregation is an assembly of people for a given purpose. ...

Lutheranism

The common practice is the corporate confession of sins at the beginning of a worship service. The Lutheran reformers held that a complete enumeration of sins is impossible (see Psalm 19:12) and that one's confidence is not to be based on the sincerity of one's contrition nor on one's compliance with the works of satisfaction imposed by the priest. In fact, works of satisfaction, as taught by the medieval Church, were rejected. Faith, that is, trust in Christ's complete active and passive satisfaction is what receives the forgiveness and salvation won by him and imparted to the congregation by the general word of absolution. Some Lutheran churches also advocate private confession with a Pastor, but the practice is fairly rare.

Reference

• John N. Wall. A Dictionary for Episcopalians. Cambridge, MA: Cowley Publications, 2000.