Question 21 — Excommunication

We must now treat of excommunication, about which we shall consider: (1) The definition, congruity and cause of excommunication; (2) Who has the power to excommunicate; (3) Communication with excommunicated persons; (4) Absolution from excommunication.

Under the first head there are four points of inquiry:

(1) Whether excommunication is suitably defined?

• (2) Whether the Church should excommunicate anyone?
• (3) Whether anyone should be excommunicated for inflicting temporal harm?
• (4) Whether an excommunication unjustly pronounced has any effect?