Excommunication

=== Lutheran churches ===
Although Lutheranism technically has an excommunication process, some denominations and congregations do not use it. In the [[Smalcald Articles]] Luther differentiates between the "great" and "small" excommunication. The "small" excommunication is simply barring an individual from the [[Eucharist|Lord's Supper]] and "other fellowship in the church".<ref>Smalcald Articles III, 9</ref> While the "great" excommunication excluded a person from both the church and political communities which he considered to be outside the authority of the church and only for civil leaders.<ref>{{cite book |last1 = Kolb |first1 = Robert |last2 = Wengert |first2 = Timothy |year = 2000 |title = Book of Concord |publisher = Augsburg Fortress |page=323}}</ref> A modern Lutheran practice is laid out in the [[Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod]]'s 1986 explanation to the [[Luther's Small Catechism|Small Catechism]], defined beginning at Questions No. 277–284, in "The Office of Keys".<ref>{{Cite book|title=Luther's Small Catechism with Explanation|publisher=Concordia Publishing House|year=1986|isbn=0-570-01535-9|location=St. Louis, MO|pages=223–226}}</ref>

Many Lutheran denominations operate under the premise that the entire congregation (as opposed to the pastor alone) must take appropriate steps for excommunication, and there are not always precise rules, to the point where individual congregations often set out rules for excommunicating laymen (as opposed to clergy). For example, churches may sometimes require that a [[vote]] must be taken at Sunday services; some congregations require that this vote be unanimous.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.lutheransonline.com/servlet/lo_ProcServ/dbpage=page&mode=display&gid=20051505062631281101111555&pg=20051578012321128501111555 |title=Risen Savior Lutheran Church, Orlando, FL – Constitution |publisher=Lutheransonline.com |access-date=2012-04-03 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120511024600/http://www.lutheransonline.com/servlet/lo_ProcServ/dbpage%3Dpage%26mode%3Ddisplay%26gid%3D20051505062631281101111555%26pg%3D20051578012321128501111555 |archive-date=11 May 2012 |url-status=dead}}</ref>

In the Church of Sweden and the [[Church of Denmark]], excommunicated individuals are turned out from their parish in front of their congregation.<ref name="Burder1841"/> They are not forbidden, however, to attend church and participate in other acts of devotion, although they are to sit in a place appointed by the priest (which was at a distance from others).<ref name="Burder1841">{{cite book|last=Burder|first=William|title=Religious Ceremonies and Customs|url=https://archive.org/details/religiousceremon00burd|year=1841|language=en |pages=[https://archive.org/details/religiousceremon00burd/page/308 308–309]}}</ref>

The Lutheran process, though rarely used, has created unusual situations in recent years due to its somewhat [[democratic process|democratic]] excommunication process. One example was an effort to get [[serial killer]] [[Dennis Rader]] excommunicated from his denomination (the [[Evangelical Lutheran Church in America]]) by individuals who tried to "lobby" Rader's fellow church members into voting for his excommunication.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.dakotavoice.com/200508/20050816_5.asp|title=Operation Rescue Calls for Excommunication of BTK Killer|website=www.dakotavoice.com|access-date=2017-12-10}}</ref>