Excommunications

Excommunication is a formal ecclesiastical censure used by some Christian churches to exclude a person from participating in the rites and communion of the church. It is primarily a spiritual and canonical penalty, rather than a civil punishment, and is aimed at correction and eventual reconciliation rather than retribution. Excommunications may be imposed for grave offenses against faith, sacramental discipline, or church governance, and can be temporary or permanent depending on the jurisdiction and the nature of the offense.

In the Roman Catholic Church, excommunication can be latae sententiae (automatic) or ferendae sententiae (by a sentence of a competent authority such as a bishop or the Holy See). Latae sententiae excommunications arise automatically upon particular offenses, while ferendae sententiae sentences require a formal judicial act. The penalty excludes the person from receiving the sacraments and from exercising certain ecclesial functions, and it is typically public unless the circumstances require secrecy. Absolution or lifting of the excommunication is possible through repentance, admission of guilt, or absolution by a properly authorized authority, sometimes after correction of the offense.

Within the Eastern Orthodox Church, excommunication (often termed anathema) is a formal ban from communion, administered by a bishop, and can be lifted when the offender repents and reconciles with the Church. In Anglican and many Protestant churches, excommunication or disfellowshiping is used as discipline within congregations or dioceses, usually with the aim of restoring the person to fellowship through repentance and reform; the process and jurisdiction vary by denomination and are not treated identically to Catholic canon law.

Excommunication remains controversial and is used infrequently in many churches today, with increasing emphasis on pastoral care and reconciliation. Its exact procedures, consequences, and theological meaning differ across traditions, reflecting broader differences in authority structures and approaches to ecclesial discipline.