Folia Canonica 4. (2001)

STUDIES - John D. Faris: A Canonical Examination of the Acquisition, Consequences and Loss of Membership in a Church - A Catholic Perspective

Folia Canonica 4 (2001) 135-153.

JOHN D. FARIS

A CANONICAL EXAMINATION OF THE ACQUISITION, CONSEQUENCES AND LOSS OF MEMBERSHIP IN A CHURCH - a catholic perspective -*

Introduction; Disputes Involving Ecclésial Membership; Church of Christ; Catholic Communion of Churches; Church Sui Iuris; Ecclésial Membership and Nomenclature; Acquisition of Membership; Baptism; Reception of Baptized Non-Catholics into Catholic Church; Ascription in a Church Sui Iuris; Ascription through Baptism; Reception of Baptized Non-Catholics into Catholic Church; Transfer to Another Church Sui Iuris-, Individuation of Membership; Loss of Membership?; Exclusion; Voluntary Departure; Conclusion.

Introduction

The canonical examination of membership in the Church, i.e., how a person becomes a member of the Church, the consequences of such membership, and the possibilities of being excluded or disengaging themselves from the Church appears at first glance to be a technical issue of interest only to specialists. However, consideration of the issues involved reveals that it is crucial in matters as mundane as the settlement of ecclesiastical property issues and indeed our very salvation since we believe that Christ carries out his salvific mission in the world by means of the Church.1

Before entering into an examination of membership in the Church, it is necessary that we first clarify what community we mean when referring to “the Church.” Are we speaking of Christianity in its entirety, that portion of Christianity that still lays claim to apostolic succession and a sacramental system, or an even stricter parameter including only those Christians who are subject to the primatial authority of the Bishop of Rome?

»This article is an adaptation of a presentation given at the 13th International Congress of the Society for the Law of the Eastern Churches at Würzburg, Germany (29 September - 5 October 1997).

l See Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, Dominus Iesus, 6 August 2000. Published in Origins 30:4 (14 September 2000) n. 16.