"A Welcoming Community of Faith Rooted in the Catholic Tradition"

Commentary
to the
Code of Canon Law
for the
Evangelical Catholic Church

Canon 2:  Church Membership

2.1 Any person baptized, confirmed, or received into full membership, according to the approved liturgical and sacramental rites of this Church by a deacon, priest or bishop in good standing, is a full member of this Church.

2.2 This Church declares itself to be an open and affirming Catholic faith community, which particularly welcomes (all) those who have been injured or disenfranchised through religious bigotry or hatred, fear or ignorance. This Catholic faith community welcomes individuals and couples who have been divorced and remarried, gays, lesbians, bisexuals, and those of the trans-gendered community, and those questioning their sexuality.

2.3 A person may terminate their membership with this Church through the sacramental rite of reception within another faith community, or by submitting a letter of intention to their pastor or local ordinary.

2.4 A person who terminates their membership with this Church may petition for readmission by submitting a written request to the local pastor or to the local ordinary.

2.5 Members who fail to profess or follow the Creedal Doctrines and Ecclesial Protocols of this Church will be notified by the local ordinary that, unless this failure is corrected, termination of membership through formal decree will occur. In such matters, a member must be provided with formal documentation of any charges and be given due process to respond and question any person making charges against them

    §1 If a member who has been formally confronted and informed of their error acknowledges such, but refuses to recant or correct their heresy, their membership shall be terminated by order of the diocesan bishop.

    §2 If a member who has been formally confronted and informed of their error recants and corrects their heresy, the termination process is thereby ended.

    §3 The House of Bishops, with the advice of the Council of Advisors shall be the Ecclesiastical Court of final appeal.

2.6 Any member who undermines the Body of Christ by word or deed against the sacramental, liturgical or spiritual life of any parish, diocese, religious institution or any person thereof, shall have their membership terminated through the processes of Canon 2.5

 

Canon 2.1 prescribes who are the ministers who can receive members into the Church via the Rites of Initiation or for adults who wish to transfer their church membership into the Church through Renewal of their Baptismal Promises or any approved form of Profession of Faith.

Canon 2.2 was created by the Synod members as a unconditional statement of welcome all of God's people to the altar. 

Many people, for various ecclesial/political reasons, from themselves unwelcome and rejected by other religious jurisdictions because of their age, race, gender, orientation, marital status, ethnicity and so on. 

In obedience to Pauline Theology of "One Bread, One Body," the Synod was empowered by the Holy Spirit to strive for inclusification within the body of the Church.

Canons 2.3 and 2.4 addresses the protocols enabling a canonical member of this church body to terminate their membership within the church and the process for their return to canonical membership within the church.

Canon 2.5 addresses the grave matter of having a canonical member of the church espousing erroneous teachings and interpretations of the faith.

Heresy is defined as  belief or opinion contrary to orthodox religious teachings of a jurisdiction or also as holding and expressing opinions profoundly at odds with what is generally accepted by a religious jurisdiction.

An example of a heresy would be the publicly expressed belief by a canonical member of the church that Eucharist is not the Body of Christ.

 §1 dictates that if a canonical member of the church, despite all attempts to counsel and correct the heresy, refuses to change their heretical belief or opinion and is causing grave damage to the body of the Church; the canonical membership of that person can be terminated by order of the local ordinary.   §3 Provides those who have suffered a loss of their canonical membership may petition the House of Bishops to appeal the ruling.

Protecting and striving for healthy Church unity is a obligation for all canonical members of this Church body.

"As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit just as you were called to one hope when you were called one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all. (Ephesians 4:1-6)"

 

 

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