Excommunication and Temple Sealing

[UVACoug]

Any one know what happens to a temple sealing when a spouse who is part of a temple marriage is excommunicated? My understanding is that when a person is excommunicated, all their temple covenants are cancelled. Does that mean the non-excommunicated spouse is released from the sealing as well?

Also, what happens if the non-excommunicated spouse gets a civil divorce, gets sealed to another person, and then the former spouse who is excommunicated gets rebaptized and his temple blessings restored? Is the prior sealing restored as well? Does the non-excommunicated spouse have to get first presidency approval to be sealed to another person if the excommunicated spouse is still alive?

[Bo Diddley]

Pretty sure excommunication doesn't cancel temple sealings. Had someone close who had to get approval through the 1st Presidency.

Also, the covenant of the non-ex'd spouse could in no way be affected by the other spouse's actions.

[UVACoug]

Pretty sure excommunication doesn't cancel temple sealings. Had someone close who had to get approval through the 1st Presidency.

Also, the covenant of the non-ex'd spouse could in no way be affected by the other spouse's actions.

Hmmm ... I thought I had read somewhere that a temple sealing is cancelled upon excommunication. Could have been a bad source. Seems like there are a lot of bad sources out there about excommunication.

[Uncle Ted]

Any one know what happens to a temple sealing when a spouse who is part of a temple marriage is excommunicated? My understanding is that when a person is excommunicated, all their temple covenants are cancelled. Does that mean the non-excommunicated spouse is released from the sealing as well?

Also, what happens if the non-excommunicated spouse gets a civil divorce, gets sealed to another person, and then the former spouse who is excommunicated gets rebaptized and his temple blessings restored? Is the prior sealing restored as well? Does the non-excommunicated spouse have to get first presidency approval to be sealed to another person if the excommunicated spouse is still alive?

CHoI book 1, 2010 edition, page 21:

Effects of Excommunication or Name Removal

After a husband and wife have been sealed in a temple, if one of them is excommunicated or has his or her name removed from Church membership records, his or her temple blessings are revoked. However, the sealing blessings of the innocent spouse and of children born in the covenant are not affected.

So apparently the non-excommunicated spouse is still sealed to the excommunicated spouse but the excommunicated spouse is not sealed to the non-excommunicated spouse. The standard answer is that it will all be worked out in the end.

[TripletDaddy]

Hmmm ... I thought I had read somewhere that a temple sealing is cancelled upon excommunication. Could have been a bad source. Seems like there are a lot of bad sources out there about excommunication.

UVA, I'm so happy that you have found love! Don't worry about all of these technicalities, just go get married and live your lives together.

[UVACoug]

CHoI book 1, 2010 edition, page 21:


So apparently the non-excommunicated spouse is still sealed to the excommunicated spouse but the excommunicated spouse is not sealed to the non-excommunicated spouse. The standard answer is that it will all be worked out in the end.

Wow. Not sure how that makes any sense.

[UVACoug]

UVA, I'm so happy that you have found love! Don't worry about all of these technicalities, just go get married and live your lives together.

I wish the circumstances giving rise to my question were that pleasant.

[pellegrino]

I wish the circumstances giving rise to my question were that pleasant.

sorry to hear about your impending DC, UVA. I'll hold a vigil in your honor if you tell me the date and time.

[creekster]

Wow. Not sure how that makes any sense.

I think it make some (although not complete) sense if you think about the sealings as part of what will become an uninterrupted chain of generations back to God. Weak links may be excised but the chain will be completed.

[clackamascoug]

I wish the circumstances giving rise to my question were that pleasant.

Think dimensionally. This thing you call "life" is not your only chance to grab the brass ring.

[byu71]

CHoI book 1, 2010 edition, page 21:


So apparently the non-excommunicated spouse is still sealed to the excommunicated spouse but the excommunicated spouse is not sealed to the non-excommunicated spouse. The standard answer is that it will all be worked out in the end.

That standard answer allows me to move on and not get caught up in the Temple sealing stuff. So much of it makes no sense whatsover.

[UVACoug]

That standard answer allows me to move on and not get caught up in the Temple sealing stuff. So much of it makes no sense whatsover.

I think that perspective makes a lot of sense. Not that I don't believe temple marriage is important, but I am seeing someone I love very much make some decisions that don't make a lot of sense to me ... and I think it has a lot to do with the feeling that she has to do whatever she can to preserve her temple marriage, regardless of the cost ... because if she somehow loses her temple marriage, it will be detrimental to herself and her kids. I think some of the decisions she is making are more detrimental than the loss of her temple marriage would be. I also don't feel it is my place to get that involved. Just frustrating.