Die Afrikaanse Protestantse Akademie Biblioteek

Bibliographical references included in "Notes and acknowledgements" (p. 147-154).

Part One: The churches and the right to silence -- I. Why keep silent? -- Regina versus Hay-a classic case -- Canon law and the priest -- Pragmatism and the psychiatrist -- The uneasy freedom of the protestant pastor -- II. Where the pastor and the law meet -- Typical cases -- No clear interpretation -- III. How it all began -- The Bible -- The church fathers -- Papal recognition -- Papal legislation -- Current practice -- IV. The common law came out of England -- Anglo-Saxon England -- Post-Norman England -- Lyndwood -The English canonist -- Articuli Cleri-A misunderstood statute -- V. Anglicans and the right to silence -- Post-Reformation England -- The canons of 1603 -- Privileges of confession withdrawn

VI. Luther reforms confession -- Luther reforms confession -- Luther's doctrine of confession -- Luther and the seal -- Later Lutherans and the right to silence -- VII. Confession in the reformed churches -- Zwingli -- Bullinger -- Calvin -- Reformed churches and the right to silence -- VIII. The churches re-examine confession -- Three reasons why -- Bonhoeffer's re-examination -- Thurneysen's corrective -- Tournier and Mowrer -- The experience at Taize -- The outlook ahead -- Part Two: The law and the right to silence -- IX. Some necessary definitions -- Privilege in general -- When communications are not privileged -- What relations, then, are privileged? -- Why grants the privilege to clergymen? -- X. Communications to clergymen under the common law -- The case of constance Kent -- Where the Priest had to tell -- Where the priest was silent -- The statement of Jeremy Bentham

XI. Statutes about the right to silence -- Statements made to clergymen in pursuance of Church discipline -- Statements made to clergymen not in pursuance of church discipline -- Statements made by clergymen -- Status of person to whom statements are made -- Statements involving third persons -- Matters communicated otherwise than by oral statements -- Who, really, possesses the privilege? -- The current situation -- A.L.I. Model code -- XII. Unresolved issues needing attention -- Communications involving a third person -- Status of communications from married couples -- The scope of privileged communication -- Discipline enjoined by the rules and practice of the religious body -- The possessions of the privilege -- Confession to Laymen -- A model statue -- XIII. Guidance for pastors.