In the United States, [groups practicing shunning or disfellowship] are known to cut off social - and, as a result, business and family - contact with the disfellow-shipped. Such shunning is "a fairly common practice of radical reformation sects, groups that tend to be drawn in very much on themselves," said Carl Raschke, a Denver University religious studies professor. (from Apologetics)
Have you or your family experienced shunning or disfellowship? I am preparing a series of posts on the practice of shunning, specifically how it feels to be shunned by a group you loved and served with. If you have a story to contribute, please e-mail me and I will consider your post for inclusion in this series. If you know of a blogger who tells this kind of story, please send me a link to the blog so I can contact the author.
Even though the Christian faith is profoundly communal, it is also very personal. Our experiences are all unique. This is why stories are so incredibly important. They are a universal language. Their goal isn’t to convince or change our mind (although they may), it is to share an experience. They aren’t about communicating ideas and concepts, but sharing a concrete tale about people, places, and things. This makes it easy for us to connect with other people’s stories and find meaning. There are reasons we feel compelled to share our own great stories or those that we’ve heard from others. They move us. They mean something to us. Often there aren’t even words to describe the gravity or significance of what we’ve experienced. Stories are the only way to do them justice. Just like in the scriptures, stories from our own faith journey are a powerful way to reflect who God is and His heart for the world. They show the world that faith is more than Sunday morning worship and bible verses. Your story is evidence that faith makes a difference. (from Heart Your Church)
