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Excommunication
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excommunication, shunning

    
Excommunication

Excommunication


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excommunication, shunning

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Disciplinary action in which someone is ousted from a religious group or movement. (Also known as 'disfellowshipping' - the termination of 'fellowship').

In Christianity, the practice is based in large part on Matthew 18:15-17 and 1 Corinthians 5:1-13.

In some groups and movements, such as the Jehovah's Witnesses (theologically a cult of Christianity), excommunication includes the unbiblical practice of shunning.


A church disciplinary action in which a person who refuses to repent of promoting heretical views, or of engaging in gross sin, is no longer accepted as a member of the church. Such a person may not participate in the ordinances of the church, may not teach or minister in any way, and in extreme cases may be asked to refrain from attending church meetings.
Definition from: "A Biblical Guide To Orthodoxy And Heresy Part One: The Case For Doctrinal Discernment" (an article from the Christian Research Journal, Summer 1990, page 28) by Robert M. Bowman.
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• Articles
Christian The Challenge and Beauty of Church DisciplineOff-site Link by Timothy Harris
Christian Church DisciplineOff-site Link by J. Hampton Keathley III
Christian Church Discipline in the Christian CongregationOff-site Link A Report of the Commission on Theology and Church Relations of the Lutheran Church--Missouri Synod
ChristianAberrational, Heretical, Heterodox, Suborthodox or Unorthodox ExcommunicationOff-site Link Entry in the Catholic Encyclopedia
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• Books        Click On Titles To Order At Discount           » More Books
Christian Healing the Wounded: The Costly Love of Church DisciplineOff-site Link By John White and Ken Blue. Highly recommended.
Christian The Worth of a Soul: a Personal Account of Excommunication and ConversionOff-site Link by Steven A. Cramer
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• Discuss
Christian Apologetics Index Discussion ListOff-site Link
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• News
» Google NewsOff-site Link Predefined Search. If current news is available on this topic, you will find it here.
» Religion News BlogOff-site Link RNB logs current and archived news about religious cults, sects, alternative religions and related issues.
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• See Also
» Shunning
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About this page:
Excommunication
First posted: May 5, 2001
Last Updated: Mar. 12, 2003
Editor: Anton Hein
Copyright: Apologetics Index
Link to: http://www.apologeticsindex.org/e28.html
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