Excommunication - a traditional religious punishment, which is used in Christianity and applies to people who can express their behavior or beliefs harm ecclesial authority.Although there is evidence that such measures were applied to transgressors and offenders in Judaism and the pagan religions (for example, the ancient Celts).Currently, it exists in the form of so-called partial, small excommunication (interdiction) and anathemas.The first of them - this is a temporary measure, and the other shall be made for up to a full repentance guilty.
can say that the meaning of this penalty has its roots in early Christianity.Since the Greek meaning of the word "church" means "assembly" or community of believers, the man who joined this group of people ("ecclesia") and giving some promises, violated them, deprived of any communication with them.
In addition, "communion" in those days was associated with a joint thanksgiving meal, which took place in memory of the Last Supper.Therefore excommunication ban was seen as to blame communicate with believers to repentance.
However, later the religious significance of this punishment has undergone serious changes, and even become a tool of repression, including political ones.Firstly, it was extended to people who have beliefs or not significantly different from the views of the majority and, above all, the power of the group.These people became known as heretics.Then there was such excommunication as an interdict, practiced mainly in Western Europe, when in a city or village, of which one perceives the punishment is not baptized, he was crowned and buried in the cemeteries.
Moreover, in the XII-XIII centuries this seemed to be a religious punishment become automatically to bear for a more serious consequences and legal responsibilities.Excommunication - expulsion from the so-called "Christian people" led to the fact that the man is comprehended, could be killed or robbed, and no one was supposed to help him.Anathema is an unrepentant heretic in practice and in the language of the Inquisition meant that it passed the civil authorities "to perform due punishment" - for the death at the stake.
In the Orthodox Church, this car is also often wore repressive.In particular, the excommunicated person could not be buried according to Christian tradition.A striking example of this is the story with such an outstanding writer like Tolstoy.Excommunication of the "ruler of doom" because he had criticized the Orthodox faith and adhered to their own views on Christianity, in particular, on the dogma and rituals, provoked a sharp protest reaction.His wife, being a law-abiding Orthodox Christian, wrote an indignant letter to the Holy Synod.
Similarly responded not only secular humanists or revolutionary-minded youth, but religious philosophers, and even a legal advisor of Emperor Nicholas II, who called the decision of the Synod "stupidity."In Tolstoy's excommunication from the Church of the writer he replied with a letter, which said that the document is illegal, drawn not by the rules, and encourage others to evil deeds.He also said that he himself would not want to belong to a community, the teaching which he considers false and harmful, hiding the essence of Christianity.
