Excommunication

The posting of Metaphors and Similes somehow generated this comment:

"Can you give us some information on excommunication in the Presbyterian church? What is the process? How is it enforced, ie can someone who has been excommunicated from one church in the PCA (techincally the PCA itself) continue to worship at another church or is there a method of communicating these things from church to church?"

Below are exerpts from our Book of Church Order on the subject. Regarding enforcement, PCA churches are to respect the action of one another. One Session is not bound to the actions of another, but it is rare for a person under discipline to be able to transfer membership without the church being left giving consent.

27-5. Scriptural law is the basis of all discipline because it is the revelation of God’s Holy will. Proper disciplinary principles are set forth in the Scriptures and must be followed. They are:
a. Instruction in the Word;
b. Individual’s responsibility to admonish one another (Matt 18:15, Gal 6:1);
c. If the admonition is rejected, then the calling of one or more witnesses (Mt 18:16);
d. If rejection persists, then the Church must act through her court unto admonition, suspension, excommunication and deposition.

36-6. Excommunication is to be administered according to one or other of the two modes laid down for indefinite suspension, or to be inflicted in public as the court may decide. In administering this censure the moderator of the Session shall make a statement of the several steps which have been taken with respect to the offending brother, and of the decision to cut him off from the communion of the church. He shall then show from Matthew 18:15-18 and 1 Corinthians 5:1-5 the authority of the church to cast out unworthy members, and shall explain the nature, use and consequences of this censure. He shall then administer the censure in the words following:

Whereas, _________________________, a member of this church has been by sufficient proof convicted of the sin of _______________________, and after much admonition and prayer, obstinately refuses to hear the Church, and has manifested no evidence of repentance: Therefore, in the name and by the authority of the Lord Jesus Christ, we, the Session of ________________________ church do pronounce him to be excluded from the Sacraments, and cut off from the fellowship of the Church.

Prayer shall then be made that by God’s blessing this solemn action of the court may issue in the repentance and restoration of the offender, and in the establishment of all true believers.