Medieval Glossary
Excommunication
A power held by the clergy to censure or deny a person's rights of membership, within the Church. Essentially, those who are under the penalty of excommunication are excluded from the Church. This was a powerful weapon that the clergy (especially the pope) had against secular powers.
Related term(s): Excommunicate; Interdict; Clergy; Pope; Secular
Category: Western Christianity
Added: 07.31.04
Last modified: 08.07.05
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