in Civil Law, is a sentence whereby the party accused is declared innocent of the crime laid to his charge.—Among the Romans, the ordinary method of pronouncing judgment was this: after the cause had been pleaded on both sides, the prece used the word diverrunt, q. d. they have said what they had to say; then three ballots were distributed to each judge, marked as mentioned under the article A; and as the majority fell of either mark, the accused was absolved or condemned, &c. If he were absolved, the praetor dismissed him with videtur non fecisse, or jure videtur fecisse.

in the Canon Law, is a juridical act, whereby the priest declares the sins of such as are penitent remitted.—The Romanists hold abolution a part of the sacrament of penance; the council of Trent, fide. xiv. cap. iii. and that of Florence, in the decree ad Armenos, declare the form or essence of the sacrament to lie in the words of abolution, I absolve thee of thy sins. The formula of abolution, in the Romish church, is absolute; in the Greek church, it is deprecatory; and in the churches of the reformed, declarative.

ABSOLUTION is chiefly used among Protestants for a sentence by which a person who stands excommunicated, is released or freed from that punishment.