| ### QUESTION 21 ### OF THE DEFINITION, CONGRUITY AND CAUSE OF EXCOMMUNICATION ###  |

| #### Prologue |

| #### #### We must now treat of excommunication: we shall consider: (1) the definition, congruity and cause of excommunication; (2) who has the power to excommunicate; (3) communication with excommunicated persons; (4) absolution from excommunication. #### Under the first head there are four points of inquiry: #### (1) Whether excommunication is suitably defined? #### (2) Whether the Church should excommunicate anyone? #### (3) Whether anyone should be excommunicated for inflicting temporal harm? #### (4) Whether an excommunication unjustly pronounced has any effect? ####  |