Church Discipline

Definition and Meaning

Church discipline (Korean gwonjing, 勸懲) literally means "to exhort and correct, and to censure." It refers to the practice by which a church examines the sins and wrongdoing of its members or officers, urges them to repent, and, when necessary, imposes penalties. The term chiri (治理), meaning "to govern," is used in the same sense. The process of hearing and adjudicating a case according to established procedures is called an ecclesiastical trial. Many denominations explain that the purpose of discipline lies not in punishment itself but in restoring the person who has erred and preserving the holiness and order of the church.

Biblical and Historical Background

The following passages are frequently cited as the basis for church discipline:

• Matthew 18:15-17: describes a sequence of private admonition, then admonition in the presence of two or three witnesses, and finally bringing the matter before the church.
• 1 Corinthians 5: instructs that a man guilty of sexual immorality be put out of the community.
• Galatians 6:1: calls for restoration "in the spirit of meekness."

After the Reformation, the Reformed tradition placed particular emphasis on discipline. John Calvin established in Geneva a disciplinary body composed of pastors and elders. The Belgic Confession (1561) named discipline, alongside the pure preaching of the Word and the right administration of the sacraments, as a mark of the true church. The Westminster Confession of Faith addresses church censures in Chapter 30.

Practice in Korean Churches

Most denominations include provisions for discipline in their church constitutions.

Presbyterian denominations include a Book of Discipline (or a section on discipline) within their constitutions and designate the session, the presbytery, and the general assembly as their church courts. Generally, cases involving members are handled by the session, and cases involving ministers by the presbytery. A party who does not accept a decision may appeal to a higher court. The types and names of censures vary by denomination, but they commonly include the following:

• Admonition: a rebuke for wrongdoing
• Suspension from office: suspension of official duties for a set period
• Deposition: removal from office
• Suspension from the Lord's Supper: exclusion from participation in Holy Communion
• Excommunication: removal of church membership

The Korean Methodist Church sets out provisions concerning trials in its Doctrines and Discipline. Churches that follow a congregational form of church polity, such as Baptist churches, hold as a principle that discipline is decided by the members' meeting of the local church.

In practice, discipline of ordinary members is rare; cases mostly concern misconduct by pastors or church officers and disputes within churches. Some observers note that the effectiveness of discipline has weakened because members can easily move to another church. In some cases, the outcomes of denominational trials have led to lawsuits in civil courts.