Why Is a Mormon Excommunicated?

Periodically the news media gives extensive coverage to a high-profile case of a Mormon being excommunicated by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. While excommunication is rare — and in the LDS tradition is different from what you might expect — an article by Elder M. Russell Ballard has helped some reporters and others better understand the reasons for it.  We encourage journalists, bloggers and others who write about excommunication, or other Church discipline, to read this article to better understand why the Church sometimes takes this action.