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From: mangoe@umcp-cs.UUCP (Charley Wingate)
Newsgroups: net.religion
Subject: Re: Church Discipline
Message-ID: <26@umcp-cs.UUCP>
Date: Tue, 18-Sep-84 22:22:09 EDT
Article-I.D.: umcp-cs.26
Posted: Tue Sep 18 22:22:09 1984
Date-Received: Wed, 26-Sep-84 03:12:42 EDT
References: <4756@duke.UUCP>
Organization: U of Maryland, Computer Science Dept., College Park, MD
Lines: 18

In practice the various protestant denominations differ greatly in their
treatment of"sinners".  I know that the Presbyterian church I attended as
a child expelled a number of people (it is now 24 years old); a group of
people who were (sorry, but its the accurate term) heretics, and the
participants in a particularly sordid and public bit of adultery.  As I
understand it, these are the only real grounds for expulsion: heresy or
flagrant and defiant sin.  It is a
policy I feel comfortable with, as it allows for the inevitable waywardness
of people.

On the other hand, the Episcopal Church (and the Anglicans worldwide) show
an incredible amount of tolerance for almost anything.  Well, maybe not
TOO incredible.  There is lots of public dissent on almost any topic you 
care to mention; without a LOT of tolerance, the church would just fly apart.
As protestants go, interestingly, the Episcopalians are relatively 
schism-free.

Charley Wingate            umcp-cs!mangoe