Guest mormonmusic Posted December 21, 2009 Report Share Posted December 21, 2009 Just wondering if anyone can share how "discipline" works in non-LDS faiths. When I say "discipline" I mean formal consequences for wrong-doing in the church. I've heard of Catholic priests "de-frocked", for example. Also, I've heard that the Catholic Church has used excommunication. Also, does your Church use discipline for members at large? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lydlou Posted December 21, 2009 Report Share Posted December 21, 2009 (edited) I was raised "non denominational" there wasnt any "discipline" for members. But when i was in jr high the preacher got caught in some sort of scandal. he "resigned" a half second before being booted to the curb. edited to add: or so it seemed at the time. i was only 12 too self centered at that age to realy pay attention to to what was going on, beside not likeing it. Edited December 21, 2009 by lydlou Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
john doe Posted December 21, 2009 Report Share Posted December 21, 2009 I know the Catholic Church will occasionally forbid some people from taking the Eucharist. That is what they call their version of the sacrament isn't it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
prisonchaplain Posted December 21, 2009 Report Share Posted December 21, 2009 My church's discipline and rehabilitation procedures for clergy is quite extensive. To begin with, we all have a 1-800 # we can call 24 hours a day, for Christian counseling. If the situation warrants, the pastor, and even his family, will be flown to a Christian counseling center for more intensive therapy. Additionally, we have elders, who are the opposite of LDS ones (in that they are usually older). These are generally respected ministers, usually who have retired from formal service. Pastors can call them and receive confidential informal counseling. Should a minister fall into immorality, there is a rehabilitation process that is possible. It generally means stepping down from ministry for 1-2 years, engaging in intensive counseling, and being evaluated by a board of peers. Success is not guaranteed, but when achieved, it is possible to step back into fulltime work. If the immorality resulted in a divorce, the minister would need to remain celibate (i.e. not seek remarriage), to retain his/her ordination. For members, discipline is rare, but can lead to a removal from membership. Sometimes, with pastoral guidance, members will confess before the congregation, or perhaps a smaller group (youth group for youth). This is not compulsory, but some do so, to help encourage others who may be struggling. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RachelleDrew Posted December 21, 2009 Report Share Posted December 21, 2009 I attended a charismatic church for a while before taking the missionary lessons. There were disciplinary actions and "love courts" very similar to what we have in the LDS church. I remember for the teens/college singles there was something called prayer chapel too. If you were struggling with a particular issue the pastor would set up a day for you to spend in the prayer chapel, which was basically just a small room off the foyer. You would go in with just your bible and a journal, and spend your entire day in prayer and scripture study. The church staff would bring you meals and snacks, and there was a bathroom right next to the room. It sounded harsh, but I did it a couple of times and found a lot of value in it actually. It's not like you were locked in there or anything, you did it when you felt you had some serious soul-searching to do. This particular church had excommunications and disfellowships that were almost identical to the ones we carry out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hemidakota Posted December 21, 2009 Report Share Posted December 21, 2009 Just wondering if anyone can share how "discipline" works in non-LDS faiths. When I say "discipline" I mean formal consequences for wrong-doing in the church. I've heard of Catholic priests "de-frocked", for example. Also, I've heard that the Catholic Church has used excommunication.Also, does your Church use discipline for members at large?Being a former Catholic, excommunication for serious crimes today is not like it used to be when I was a member. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
prisonchaplain Posted December 21, 2009 Report Share Posted December 21, 2009 Rachelle, sounds like that church was very healthy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beefche Posted December 21, 2009 Report Share Posted December 21, 2009 I remember for the teens/college singles there was something called prayer chapel too. If you were struggling with a particular issue the pastor would set up a day for you to spend in the prayer chapel, which was basically just a small room off the foyer. You would go in with just your bible and a journal, and spend your entire day in prayer and scripture study. The church staff would bring you meals and snacks, and there was a bathroom right next to the room. That sounds like a great idea. More of us need to take time like that to do some serious meditation. That's one thing I appreciate about attending the temple--the time to meditate.I gained my testimony of the church in a non-denominational chapel that was at my place of employment (an insurance company of all things!). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Galatians220 Posted January 10, 2010 Report Share Posted January 10, 2010 If a believer is sinning, and refused to repent, then s/he should not take part of the Communion; thats what i know for now. However, at least in scripture:15 Moreover if thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone: if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother.16 But if he will not hear thee, then take with thee one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.17 And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it unto the church: but if he neglect to hear the church, let him be unto thee as an heathen man and a publican. - Matthew 18:15-17.... that is, an unbelieving person.... 19 They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us: but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us. - 1 John 2:19 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RachelleDrew Posted January 10, 2010 Report Share Posted January 10, 2010 Rachelle, sounds like that church was very healthy.It was. It has a lot of the values that I appreciate within the LDS church. In the end, it wasn't for me. But I respect a lot of it's operational ideas. It's a very efficient and well-run church. They also have a very high retention rate, and I think it's because they are gentle, yet fair about church discipline regarding certain behaviors. Church discipline is never forced, but encouraged to a point where everyone agrees to the standards anyway because they make it easy to recognize the benefits of repentance with the guidance of the ministry. I visit frequently, they have a few wonderful praise bands and I am still friends with the members there. They are very kind to the LDS folk in the area, and refer to us as fellow Christians even if the other denoms won't. Now my stepmother attends the local Methodist church and there are no disciplinary actions for members with the exception of the paid clergy. As far as I know, the Methodist church has higherups all over the country that deal with overseeing the clergy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NeuroTypical Posted January 10, 2010 Report Share Posted January 10, 2010 My poor besieged cousins at the New Life Church had this happen. They really loved the guy, but only hesitated about a minute to remove him from his leadership position.LM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havejoy Posted January 21, 2010 Report Share Posted January 21, 2010 I carpooled with a guy who belonged to the Church of Christ. His sister had been disfellowshipped which meant they had to shun her even away from church. The only way for her to get back in fellowship was for her to stand before the congregation and tell them her sins and then ask for their forgiveness. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Islander Posted January 21, 2010 Report Share Posted January 21, 2010 ALL disciplinary issues in the (LDS) Church are treated with great seriousness and diligence since ALL endowed members are considered clergy. All issues are also dealt with in the utmost privacy. Most times, and depending on the seriousness of the offense, only the Bishop (in the ward) would be aware of the situation. The rest would be handled at the Stake level. Often times a sanction includes the temporary abstention from partaking of the sacraments, suspension of priesthood responsibilities and duties, exclusion from the Temple. But we are commanded to try and reach out to the wayward brothers and sisters. I visit a couple of them and have a great relationship with them. We would never throw anybody from the Church. They thow themselves out when they refuse to repent and acknowledge transgression. In which case they remain dis-fellowshiped until such time they have a change of heart.There is no need for a public act of contrition. It is all done in love, with great care and in teh sincere hope that they wold repent and return into full fellowship. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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