Can a Protestant be excommunicated?

[blessedbyt]

Can a protestant be excommunicated from the Catholic Faith?

I know, initially, this sounds like a silly question. How can you be excommunicated from something you are not in, right?

But then I read that Protestants, by virtue of their baptism, ARE members of The Church… although rebellious ones.

So, for example, a Protestant who was involved with an abortion, or had one, or some other automatic excommunication thing like that…well, would they have to get the excommunication lifted officially/properly at some point, if they were to become a Catholic?..and wanted to receive the sacraments in good standing?

 

[Fone_Bone_2001]

Because of the validity of their baptism and faith, they are in some sense accessing grace and therefore the Catholic Church, which is necessary for salvation.

But in a visible, legal, ecclesiastical sense, they are not members of the Catholic Church, and it is only on that external, ecclesiastical level that excommunication exists. It is an ecclesiastical penalty.

So no, I do not believe that Protestant Christians can be excommunicated.

 

[constantconvert]

Because of the validity of their baptism and faith, they are in some sense accessing grace and therefore the Catholic Church, which is necessary for salvation.

But in a visible, legal, ecclesiastical sense, they are not members of the Catholic Church, and it is only on that external, ecclesiastical level that excommunication exists. It is an ecclesiastical penalty.

So no, I do not believe that Protestant Christians can be excommunicated.

This is correct. Any ex-communicable sins would absolved at 1st Reconciliation, although they would have to let the priest know ahead of time that they had committed an ex-comminicable sin so that the priest can contact the Bishops office if neccesary. Usually common ex-communicable sins, like abortion, at least here in America, priests have permission from the Bishop to grant absolution without advanced permission.

 

[1ke]

But then I read that Protestants, by virtue of their baptism, ARE members of The Church…

They are members of the Body of Christ by virtue of their baptism. They are not Catholics, and they are not under Catholic canonical jurisdiction. Therefore, no, canonical penalties do not apply to them.

Can. 11 Merely ecclesiastical laws bind those who have been baptized in the Catholic Church or received into it, possess the efficient use of reason, and, unless the law expressly provides otherwise, have completed seven years of age

 

[blessedbyt]

Hi ConstantConvert,

Thank you for your response (above) but it doesn’t really help b/c, with your response about the excommunication being lifted at 1st Reconcilliation, that has me wondering again if the person WOULD have been in an excommunicated state, upon entering the confessional at their 1st reconcilliation. (And then they get it taken care of while they are at their 1st Confession.). See?
And so that is the opposite of the poster above that said that, no, the convert would NOT have been excommunicated, ever, in the first place. (Because they had been a Protestant when the excommunicationable thing.)

So rather than agreeing with the 1st answer, your answer is actually the opposite.

I think I will ask an apologist.
But thanks anyway.
K

 

[blessedbyt]

Thank you 1ke. Now THAT is a helpful response!

 

[1ke]

that has me wondering again if the person WOULD have been in an excommunicated state, upon entering the confessional at their 1st reconcilliation.

No, they would not. A canonical penalty can only be imposed upon a Catholic.

Perhaps you misunderstand what excommunication is. Can you explain what you think it is?

 

[1ke]

This is correct. Any ex-communicable sins would absolved at 1st Reconciliation, although they would have to let the priest know ahead of time that they had committed an ex-comminicable sin so that the priest can contact the Bishops office if neccesary. Usually common ex-communicable sins, like abortion, at least here in America, priests have permission from the Bishop to grant absolution without advanced permission.

this is not correct. Excommunication is a canonical penalty that can be imposed only upon Catholics.

A non-Catholic cannot be under excommunication.

 

[constantconvert]

this is not correct. Excommunication is a canonical penalty that can be imposed only upon Catholics.

A non-Catholic cannot be under excommunication.

Sorry, I didn’t explain myself very well. I was agreeing that non-Catholic Christians can’t be excommunicated. Sins like abortion that would count as an automatic excommunication for Catholics are forgiven at 1st Reconciliation.

 

[Fone_Bone_2001]

Hi ConstantConvert,

Thank you for your response (above) but it doesn’t really help b/c, with your response about the excommunication being lifted at 1st Reconcilliation

That’s not what he said. He said “any excommunicable sins” would be absolved at first Reconciliation. He never said an actual excommunication would be incurred. As others have established - thank you, 1ke! - a non-Catholic cannot be excommunicated.

 

[steve_b]

Can a protestant be excommunicated from the Catholic Faith?

I know, initially, this sounds like a silly question. How can you be excommunicated from something you are not in, right?

But then I read that Protestants, by virtue of their baptism, ARE members of The Church… although rebellious ones.

So, for example, a Protestant who was involved with an abortion, or had one, or some other automatic excommunication thing like that…well, would they have to get the excommunication lifted officially/properly at some point, if they were to become a Catholic?..and wanted to receive the sacraments in good standing?

.If they were to become Catholic, their sacramental confession of this and all their sins would be enough to restore them to sanctifying grace and therefore bring them fully into the Church. It’s really the inner spiritual condition of the soul we’re speaking of.

 

[Ignatius]

Can a protestant be excommunicated from the Catholic Faith?

To be excommunicated from The Catholic Faith means to no break from communion with The Catholic Faith. Protestants aren’t in communion so they cannot fall out of communion.