Recant

Recantation means a personal public act of denial of a previously published opinion or belief. It is derived from the Latin re cantare' to re-sing.

Philosophically recantation it is linked to a genuine change of opinion, often caused by a serious event which reveals a better or more complete representation of a presumed truth. For example, Recantation was the title of a 16th-century book by Bishop Augustine of Hippo correcting his former writings as an ordinary teacher of rhetoric prior to his becoming a cleric which he described as "a recantation of opinion with admission of error".

In classical Roman poetry, after deliberately describing something extravagantly or hyperbolically for memorable dramatic effect, recantation was used to briefly redefine the material subject fairly and honestly.

Religiously recantation may be required to avoid punishment or imposed to obtain pardon from a sin such as

In Protestantism, recantation may be requested by or ordered from an ecclesiastical authority such as a synod or ecumenical council

In the Roman Catholic Church, the Inquisition, Holy Office, or even on rare occasion the contemporary Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith) required an act of renunciation to enforce an orthodoxy.

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