What is disfellowshipping?

Answer

Disfellowshipping is a term that refers to excluding someone from the fellowship or common group due to sin, moral lapse, or unfaithfulness. While this practice is common among various religious groups, the specific term is used in the Church of Christ and the Jehovah’s Witnesses. Being disfellowshipped means being expelled from membership.

Without delving into the doctrinal differences of the aforementioned groups, it can be noted that the fundamental concept of disfellowshipping is rooted in the New Testament. In Matthew 18, Jesus teaches that if a professed believer refuses to repent of a particular sin after multiple confrontations, they should be treated as an unbeliever. Paul also discusses church discipline, stating, “I wrote to you in my letter not to associate with sexually immoral people— not at all meaning the people of this world who are immoral, or the greedy and swindlers, or idolaters. In that case, you would have to leave this world. But now I am writing to you that you must not associate with anyone who claims to be a brother or sister but is sexually immoral or greedy, an idolater or slanderer, a drunkard or swindler. Do not even eat with such people. What business is it of mine to judge those outside the church? Are you not to judge those inside? God will judge those outside. Expel the wicked person from among you” (1 Corinthians 5:9-13). Therefore, unrepentant sinners within the church are to be removed from the local body. However, Paul instructs the church in 2 Corinthians 2:7–8 to restore and forgive a repentant brother. The primary aim of excommunication or disfellowshipping is repentance and the restoration of fellowship.

In evangelical churches, the process of revoking church membership is commonly referred to as “church discipline.” In the Catholic Church, it is referred to as

“Excommunication,” which prohibits the individual from participating in the Eucharist, is known as “shunning” in Amish communities. The term disfellowshipping is utilized by Jehovah’s Witnesses and the Church of Christ. When a member of a group commits a serious sin according to the group’s standards, and that individual refuses to repent after being confronted, they are disfellowshipped. This means they are no longer allowed to engage in the group’s activities, and members in good standing are required to cease contact with them. In the Jehovah’s Witness organization, maintaining a relationship with a disfellowshipped non-relative can lead to being disfellowshipped.

Many have criticized disfellowshipping as harsh and unkind. The key issue is not the act of disfellowshipping itself, but rather the doctrinal purity (or deviation) of the groups in question.