So if membership in the church can only be had by baptism, then why isn't baptism required AGAIN, if one is formally declared a heretic or excommunicated? It only makes sense if there are different meanings to membership.
Example: We get baptised, we all learn we're now "children of God". OK, but if we commit mortal sin, the catechism also says we are now "cut off from God." Does being in mortal sin mean you aren't a child of God anymore? Of course not.
Point is, being "outside of the church" means different things. For a pagan, it means they aren't in union with the church, and never were. For a heretic/excommunicated person, it means they are "cut off" from the Church, temporarily (in theory), just like mortal sin. I just don't see how it means membership is revoked; else re-baptism would have to happen.
Pax, as more than one person here has pointed out, re-Baptism is an impossibility. Protestants believe in it, they think they do it but they can't do it either. Excommunication does not undo Baptism, just as apostasy does not undo the priesthood. Both are indelible marks on the soul. Excommunication prevents a soul from partaking of, and benefitting from the Sacraments, but it cannot take away the Sacrament of Baptism. One remains an inactive member of the Church.
Topic: "Once Catholic always a Catholic" and the effect of Heresy on membership (Read 13861 times)