The Priest and Discipline
The Priest and Punishment
Punishment is not against love; rather, it may be a proof of love,
for the sake of discipline and correction, and to make the sinner feel that he has committed a fault deserving punishment. Saint Paul the Apostle said: “For what son is there whom his father does not discipline?” (Heb 12:7). And he said: “For whom the Lord loves He disciplines” (Heb 12:6) (Prov 3:12).
The priest has authority to punish and to rebuke.
The Scripture says: “Reprove, rebuke, exhort” (2 Tim 4:2). The Didascalia says: “O bishop, just as you were given authority to loose, so also you were given authority to bind.” And the Lord said concerning the person who refuses the judgment of the Church: “If he refuses to hear the church, let him be to you like a heathen and a tax collector” (Matt 18:17). The Lord punished Eli the priest and cut him off, and his descendants from the priesthood, because he did not discipline his sons properly (1 Sam 3:13; 1 Sam 4:11).
The apostolic Fathers practiced the punishment of sinners.
For example, Saint Paul the Apostle punished the sinner of Corinth and ordered that he be removed from the assembly of believers (1 Cor 5:5, 13). Then he returned and forgave him, and said to the Corinthians: “Such a one is sufficient for this punishment which was inflicted by the majority, so that, on the contrary, you ought rather to forgive and comfort him… lest perhaps such a one be swallowed up with too much sorrow” (2 Cor 2:6–7).
Saint Peter also punished Ananias and Sapphira with a very severe punishment (Acts 5:3–9), which had its effect in making the others cautious. It was said: “So great fear came upon all the church and upon all who heard these things” (Acts 5:11). Saint Paul also punished Elymas the sorcerer (Acts 13:9–11).
The reason for punishment, and also its result,
is that the Church may preserve its holiness and that the rest may be deterred. Concerning this, Saint Paul said to his disciple Timothy the bishop: “Those who are sinning rebuke in the presence of all, that the rest also may fear” (1 Tim 5:20).
There are many punishments mentioned in the Book of Revelation,
including the punishment of the sinful Jezebel (Rev 2:20–23), the judgment of the cities likened to a woman sitting on a beast (Rev 17), and the judgment of the great city Babylon (Rev 8:10), in addition to what was said about the trumpets of the angels (Rev 8).
Punishment has roots in the Old Testament,
such as the punishment of the Flood (Gen 6), the punishment that befell the people of Sodom (Gen 19), and the punishment that befell Korah, Dathan, and Abiram (Num 16:31–35). Even David the prophet was punished when he sinned (2 Sam 12).
However, punishment has degrees according to the degree of the offense,
and punishment must be proportionate to the act. The books of Church canons are full of punishments issued by the holy ecumenical and local councils, including deposition, cutting off from the body of the Church, deprivation from some of the Church’s sacraments, and separation. In ancient times, these were connected with the system of penitents in the old churches.
It is not true what some try to spread in ignorance,
that punishment is only for heresy. Although Church law commands that two punishments are not imposed for one sin, heresy gathers all punishments together, such that it includes deposition from all priestly ranks, deprivation from all sacraments, and complete cutting off from the body of the Church.
There are punishments that require a trial, and punishments that are issued automatically.
For example, if a priest marries, or a deacon marries, after ordination, he automatically loses his priestly rank by the force of the law and without a trial. If a monk breaks his vow and marries, he loses his monastic status.
As for the punishments imposed by the priest-father on his children in confession:
they are within his right and authority, and sometimes they are his duty. It often happens that a penitent asks his spiritual father to impose a punishment on him, because he feels its benefit and his conscience finds rest through it. If the priest-father does not do this, we see the penitent imposing the punishment on himself and disciplining himself if his father does not discipline him.
However, the priest’s punishment must be within the capacity of the penitent.
He should not place upon him a burden he cannot bear, nor a punishment he cannot carry out. The punishment must also be appropriate to his circumstances.
There are other conditions for punishment, including:
(a) that the penitent feels that he has sinned and deserves the punishment;
(b) that he is convinced of the punishment and carries it out willingly;
(c) that he sees it as treatment and for his spiritual benefit;
(d) that not every sin requires punishment, otherwise life would become entirely punishments. As the psalmist said: “If You, Lord, should mark iniquities, O Lord, who could stand? But there is forgiveness with You” (Ps 130:3–4).
There are matters that do not need punishment,
and for which advice and guidance are sufficient, as the Didascalia says: “Erase the sin by teaching.”
The Punishment of Excommunication:
- The type of excommunication must be specified, because this expression—used in an absolute manner—means many things. For example, a person may be barred from Communion for a specific period, or barred from service in the church or from teaching if he errs in teaching, or from certain relationships that are the cause of his fall.
- The term excommunication should not be used in a way that alienates or frightens people from the priesthood.
- A priest must not issue excommunication in a moment of anger, or for a personal reason, or without knowledge, or unjustly. He should not frequently use the expression “no absolution and no permission” in matters that may be trivial or may not be within his authority.
- Punishment must not be a cause for the disappearance of love between the offender and the priest-father, nor a cause for the loss of trust. Otherwise, the priest’s pastoral and spiritual work will end with such a sinner.
There are preventive requirements to ensure the soundness of punishments.
Among them is that the priest—as Scripture says—must not be quick-tempered or violent (Titus 1:7–8), nor obstinate, but characterized by justice, rightly dividing the word of truth (2 Tim 2:15). He must be loving, known for dealing with people with gentleness and kindness, long-suffering, broad-minded, and apt to teach (1 Tim 3:2), and a student of sound doctrine and the commandment of God, for from his mouth the law is sought (Mal 2:7).
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