disfellowshipping
Congregational membership revocation
Disfellowshipping is the formal expulsion of a member from a religious organization, most commonly associated with Jehovah's Witnesses.
The practice involves cutting off social and spiritual contact with the expelled person, who is typically shunned by congregation members, sometimes including family.
After disfellowshipping, former members often struggle to maintain relationships with those still in the faith.
The term emphasizes the severing of fellowship—the communal bond among believers.
Formal barring from sacraments
- shunningDeliberately avoiding someone
- apostasyRenunciation of former beliefs
- heresyBelief opposing official doctrine
- anathemaIntensely detested thing
interdict · defrock · schism · congregation · elder · tribunal · reinstatement · repentance
Banishment from a group
- shunningDeliberately avoiding someone
- isolationComplete separation from others
- alienationState of being isolated
- rejectionDenial of acceptance
exclusion · marginalization · avoidance · cold-shouldering · snubbing · outcast · pariah · blacklisting
Forced permanent removal
- removalAct of taking away
- dismissalRemoval from position
- oustingForcible removal from position
- ejectionForced removal from somewhere
banishment · purge · blackballing · suspension · revocation · membership · disbarment · termination
Trained self-control or specialty
- sanctionApproval or punitive measure
- penaltyPunishment for wrongdoing
- censureFormal institutional disapproval
- reprimandFormal expression of disapproval
correction · rebuke · admonition · consequence · chastisement · reproof · judgment · condemnation
excommunication
Formal barring from sacraments
- shunningDeliberately avoiding someone
- apostasyRenunciation of former beliefs
- heresyBelief opposing official doctrine
anathema · interdict · defrock · schism · congregation · elder · tribunal · reinstatement · repentance · unrepentant
ostracism
Banishment from a group
- shunningDeliberately avoiding someone
- isolationComplete separation from others
- alienationState of being isolated
rejection · exclusion · marginalization · avoidance · cold-shouldering · snubbing · outcast · pariah · blacklisting · disownment
expulsion
Forced permanent removal
ejection · banishment · purge · blackballing · suspension · revocation · membership · disbarment · termination · sanction
discipline
Trained self-control or specialty
- sanctionApproval or punitive measure
- penaltyPunishment for wrongdoing
- censureFormal institutional disapproval
reprimand · correction · rebuke · admonition · consequence · chastisement · reproof · judgment · condemnation · sentence
disfellowshippingreinstatement
Return to previous position
admission · baptism · acceptance · initiation · welcoming
disfellowshippingcommunion
Profound shared closeness
fellowship · embrace · reconciliation · restoration · unity
disfellowshippingreinstatement
Return to previous position
restoration · absolution · forgiveness · pardon · readmission