Interesting, I think the excommunication came about because Fred was trying to protect his daughter. She had lost the power struggle between the elders and herself as who would be the dominant person in the church. I assume she went to her dad to try and use his position as founder to get her power back, and they excommunicated him for that.
In a way I do actually feel sorry for him. That church and his family, for all its hatred and bile was his entire life. He has been exiled from his life's work, and effectively betrayed by his own family. After all, the counsel of elders is basically made up of various Phelps clan members. I am surprised he is still alive because that would be pretty soul crushing to anyone.
I wonder though, With Fred and his daughter out of any position of power or control of the church, I wonder if they will start to become more moderate. The church and clan breeds he hatred and clan loyalty through a messed up mix of persecution complex and Stockholm syndrome. If the amount of picketing and such begins to decline, the abuse the clan members receive will too, and in turn will help free them all from the crazy cult they are all part of.