Sins

Sins, Crimes, Discipline

From the book The Clergyman’s Hand-book of Law, about Sins, Crimes, Discipline (1): Crimes are offenses against the civil law. The fact that the church organization may try and punish a member for sinning, or acquit him, has nothing whatever to do with the administration of the criminal law of the State. Therefore, a member may be arrested and tried for any offense before or after the ecclesiastical tribunal has taken action in the matter. But there are certain crimes of a religious nature of which the civil law assumes jurisdiction and punishes, such as blasphemy,698 disturbing religious meetings,699 etc. Most of those laws are statutory and depend wholly upon the statute of the State where the crime is committed.

Resources

Notes and References

1. Charles M. Scanlan, The Clergyman’s Hand-book of Law. The Law of Church and Grave (1909), Benziger Brothers, New York, Cincinnati, Chicago

See Also

• Religion
• Church