Chapter 30 : Church Censures

Paragraph 1 : Censures Delineated

30-1. The censures, which may be inflicted by church courts, are admonition, suspension from the Sacraments, excommunication, suspension from office, and deposition from office. The censures of admonition or definite suspension from office shall be administered to an accused who, upon conviction, satisfies the court as to his repentance and makes such restitution as is appropriate. Such censure concludes the judicial process. The censures of indefinite suspension or excommunication shall be administered to an accused who, upon conviction, remains impenitent.

[Historical Summary : The text of PCA 1973 followed that of PCUS 1933 and dated to PCUS 1879 but for the addition of one comma in the latter's first sentence. Changes from the 1973 text were instituted in 1990. The amendment had come before the 17th General Assembly (M17GA, pp. 47-48; see also 17-82, III, 13, p. 152 and pp. 153-155) as part of a larger set of proposed changes (Item 6 included amendments to 30-1; 30-2; 30-3; 34-8; 34-9 and 37-2). 35 Presbyteries had voted in favor of the amendment in the advice and consent stage, but noted errors in the drafting of the amendment deferred the matter to the 18th General Assembly, at which time the amendment was adopted. (cf. M18GA, pp. 46-50).]

Background and Comparison :
1. PCA 1973, RoD, 4-1, Adopted text, as printed in the Minutes of General Assembly, p. 146
2. Continuing Presbyterian Church 1973, RoD, 4-1, Proposed text, p. 40
3. PCUS 1933, RoD, 4-§177
4. PCUS 1925, RoD, 4-§177
The censures which may be inflicted by church courts are admonition, suspension, excommunication, and deposition. When a lower censure fails to reclaim the delinquent, it may become the duty of the court to proceed to the infliction of a higher censure.

PCUS 1879, Rules of Discipline, IV-1
The censures which may be inflicted by church courts are, admonition, suspension, excommunication, and deposition. When a lower censure fails to reclaim the delinquent, it may become the duty of the court to proceed to the infliction of a higher censure.

PCUS 1869 draft, Canons of Discipline, IV-1
The censures which may be inflicted by Church courts are admonition, suspension, excommunication, and deposition. When a lower censure fails to reclaim the delinquent, it may become the duty of the court to proceed to the infliction of a higher censure—but the censures of excommunication and deposition shall not be inflicted by a Church session without the advice of the Presbytery.

PCUS 1867 draft, Canons of Discipline, IV-1
The censures which may be inflicted by church courts are admonition, suspension, excommunication, and deposition. When a lower censure fails to reclaim the delinquent, it may become the duty of the court to proceed to the infliction of a higher censure—but the censures of excommunication and deposition shall not be inflicted by a church-session without the advice of the presbytery.

OTHER COMPARISONS:
OPC 2005, Chapter VI - Censure and Restoration, A. Censure, 1.
In judicial discipline there are five degrees of censure: admonition, rebuke, suspension, deposition, and excommunication. Censures shall be pronounced in the name and by the authority of the Lord Jesus Christ, as an act of the whole church, by the moderator on behalf of the trial judicatory.