Can priests absolve you without you confessing?

Imagine thinking that you will ever know your eternal security for sure. Or that of anyone else. Much less due to any deeds or lack of them.

Christians hope for salvation; for that, they place their trust in their Lord, ask for His grace, and so on.

To anyone who thinks that prots and catholics disagree on _that_ much:

This joint declaration by the Catholic Church and some Lutherans might illustrate how the two denominations agree on surprisingly a lot:
vatican.va/roman_curia/pontifical_councils/chrstuni/documents/rc_pc_chrstuni_doc_31101999_cath-luth-joint-declaration_en.html

(read the text itself for specific points and comparisons)