EXCOMMUNICATION

the exclusion of a Christian from the communion and spiritual privileges of the Church. Excommunication was a recognized penalty among the Jews (John ix, 22), and was practised early by the Christian Church. A distinction gradually arose between a le er and a greater excommunication, the former being a suspension from Church privileges, the latter a form a] expulsion ex-. eluding from all communion with the faithful. In the Middle Ages the Popes often excommunicated whole cities and kingdoms. In such a case all religious services ceased, and the grave inconveniences thus caused made excommunication a formidable weapon in the hands of the Pope, till with frequent abuse it lost its force. Besides excommunication an extreme degreo of denunciation called anathema, and cutting the offender off from all the hopes and consolations of the Christian faith, is used in the Roman Catholic Church. Both Luther and Calvin were in favour of the right of exceommunieation by the ministers of the Church. In the Church of England both the le and the greater excommunications are recognized.—Cf. Ei. Taunton, The Law of the Church.