| Revision as of 16:00, 25 September 2002 editWesley (talk | contribs)7,326 edits etymology, and Eastern Orthodox practice← Previous edit | Revision as of 16:01, 25 September 2002 edit undo213.253.40.180 (talk) preclude the excommunicated from salvation.Next edit → | ||
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| Generally associated with the ] church, '''excommunication''' is religious censure intended to deprive one of membership of a religious community and, in the Catholic context, preclude the excommunicated from salvation. | Generally associated with the ] church, '''excommunication''' is religious censure intended to deprive one of membership of a religious community and, in the Catholic context, preclude the excommunicated from ]. | ||
| Excommunication is considered automatic for some sins within the Catholic church, but can also be a formal affair, generally reserved for renegade clerygymen and such. | Excommunication is considered automatic for some sins within the Catholic church, but can also be a formal affair, generally reserved for renegade clerygymen and such. | ||
Revision as of 16:01, 25 September 2002
Generally associated with the Roman Catholic church, excommunication is religious censure intended to deprive one of membership of a religious community and, in the Catholic context, preclude the excommunicated from salvation. Excommunication is considered automatic for some sins within the Catholic church, but can also be a formal affair, generally reserved for renegade clerygymen and such.
The word literally means "out of communion"; excommunication involves barring the person from participating in Communion or receiving the Eucharist, and as a consequence losing their status as members. In Eastern Orthodoxy, a person may also be barred from receiving the Eucharist. In this context however, this merely changes the member's classification in the parish from 'faithful' to 'penitent', and is intended to be only temporary.
See also: Shunning