Excommunication still done? and does it carry any wieght?

[d0c markus]

I was watchin PBS and they were talking about Excommunication a little bit. Is this still done, and does it carry weight?

 

[Roald]

In the Catholic Church, right?

The Catholic Church still has excommunications for grave offences such as committing abortion. Excommunication is the most severe ecclesiastical penalty, and it impedes one's ability to receive the sacraments, such as the Eucharist.

(It does not mean that someone is going straight to Hell).

I cannot speak much more on the topic than that.

 

[d0c markus]

hmm it use to carry that penalty right?

 

[twex]

hmm it use to carry that penalty right?

No, the Catholic Church has never declared anyone to be in Hell. The traditional declaration of anathema ends thusly:

“We deliver him to Satan to mortify his body, that his soul may be saved on the day of judgment.”

 

[Svt4Him]

It was done in our church, and it carries weight.

 

[Benedicta00]

It's to wake the sinner up in hopes that it will call him to repent.

 

[TasManOfGod]

Ex communication from an orgnisation carries no weight in heaven
(John 9 is interesting on this)
God bless
Tas

 

[Roald]

It was done in our church, and it carries weight.

Which church is this, and what weight does it carry?

 

[The Midge]

Only God can decide who is in His Church and who is not.

At most excommunication is only an expression of the earthly churches disapproval.

It carries real weight when a church is the only one in an area (it is the dominate local institution) or if most of a members social life revolve around a local church. Then it can really hurt.

IMO matters of doctrine are not a reason to exclude. I have know abusive churches from the Charismatic end of the spectrum who's method for dealing with disagreement was to throw dissenters out. That is wrong.

 

[d0c markus]

Only God can decide who is in His Church and who is not.

At most excommunication is only an expression of the earthly churches disapproval.

It carries real weight when a church is the only one in an area (it is the dominate local institution) or if most of a members social life revolve around a local church. Then it can really hurt.

IMO matters of doctrine are not a reason to exclude. I have know abusive churches from the Charismatic end of the spectrum who's method for dealing with disagreement was to throw dissenters out. That is wrong.

hmm not nesscarily.
1CO 5:1 It is actually reported that there is sexual immorality among you, and of a kind that does not occur even among pagans: A man has his father's wife. 2 And you are proud! Shouldn't you rather have been filled with grief and have put out of your fellowship the man who did this? 3 Even though I am not physically present, I am with you in spirit. And I have already passed judgment on the one who did this, just as if I were present. 4 When you are assembled in the name of our Lord Jesus and I am with you in spirit, and the power of our Lord Jesus is present, 5 hand this man over toSatan, so that the sinful nature may be destroyed and his spirit saved on the day of the Lord.

1CO 5:6 Your boasting is not good. Don't you know that a little yeast works through the whole batch of dough? 7 Get rid of the old yeast that you may be a new batch without yeast--as you really are. For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed. 8 Therefore let us keep the Festival, not with the old yeast, the yeast of malice and wickedness, but with bread without yeast, the bread of sincerity and truth.

basicially if someone engages in public sin, and refuses to repent the congregation can "hand him over to satan" to help him recognize that it wont be tolerated, Pauls reasoning for this is that his evil can spread to other members of the congregation. There are other verses that recognize this. I suppose "ex-communication" is just a formal term to apply to it.

 

[Crazy Liz]

Ex communication from an orgnisation carries no weight in heaven
(John 9 is intersting on this)
God bless
Tas

John 9? Please explain.

 

[Yitzchak]

The mennonite and amish churches practice excomunnication and shunning. It does seem to be effective within their communities. In those tight communities it means a lot. I have seen some actually repent and be restored to fellowship.

I have seen the Assembly of God practice an excommunication of sorts with preachers. Jimmy Swaggert is one example. As for whether it was effective is hard to say. I am sure it cost him something but he did start his own independent television show afterwards and seems to have no desire to repent.