▁was ▁highly ▁controvers ial ▁within ▁Ang lic an ism . ▁When ▁pri ests ▁began ▁to ▁hear ▁conf essions , ▁they ▁respond ed ▁to ▁critic isms ▁by ▁pointing ▁to ▁the ▁fact ▁that ▁such ▁is ▁explicitly ▁san ction ed ▁in ▁" The ▁Order ▁for ▁the ▁Vis itation ▁of ▁the ▁S ick " ▁in ▁the ▁Book ▁of ▁Common ▁P ray er , ▁which ▁contains ▁the ▁following ▁direction : ▁Here ▁shall ▁the ▁sick ▁person ▁be ▁moved ▁to ▁make ▁a ▁special ▁Conf ession ▁of ▁his ▁s ins , ▁if ▁he ▁feel ▁his ▁conscience ▁trouble d ▁with ▁any ▁weight y ▁matter . ▁After ▁which ▁Conf ession , ▁the ▁Pri est ▁shall ▁absol ve ▁him ▁( if ▁he ▁hum b ly ▁and ▁heart ily ▁desire ▁it ). ▁Aur icular ▁conf ession ▁within ▁main stream ▁Ang lic an ism ▁became ▁accepted ▁in ▁the ▁second ▁half ▁of ▁the ▁ 2 0 th ▁century ; ▁the ▁ 1 9 7 9 ▁Book ▁of ▁Common ▁P ray er ▁for ▁the ▁Epis cop al ▁Church ▁in ▁the ▁USA ▁provides ▁two ▁forms ▁for ▁it ▁in ▁the ▁section ▁" The ▁Re con c ili ation ▁of ▁a ▁Pen it ent ". ▁ ▁Private ▁conf ession ▁is ▁also ▁en vis aged ▁by ▁the ▁canon ▁law ▁of ▁the ▁Church ▁of ▁England , ▁which ▁contains ▁the ▁following , ▁intended ▁to ▁saf egu ard ▁the ▁Se al ▁of ▁the ▁Conf essional : ▁if ▁any ▁man ▁conf ess ▁his ▁secret ▁and ▁hidden ▁s ins ▁to ▁the ▁minister , ▁for ▁the ▁un bur den ing ▁of ▁his ▁conscience , ▁and ▁to ▁receive ▁spiritual