Does a person who voluntarily leaves the fellowship of a church HAVE to be excommunicated, to be considered a non-member?
Imagine a man, raised a Roman Catholic. Let's call him "Fred".
Fred was raised by good Catholic parents, and attended Mass as a child, was trained in a good Catholic school, was involved in his local youth group, etc. After he leaves home for college, he continues in his Catholic tradition...for a while.
As an adult, Fred becomes disenchanted with the faith of his parents, and starts investigating other theorys and religions. He quits going to mass, but can still "talk" like a Catholic. He eventually repudiates his former faith, and starts actively harrassing Catholics, committing acts of vandalism and violence against them, burning Catholic Bibles, etc.
Does Fred HAVE to be excommunicated by the Church to be considered "not a Catholic" anymore?
Why or why not?
2007-04-02
00:49:32
·
11 answers
·
asked by
MamaBear
6
in
Religion & Spirituality