Clericalism

Clericalism

Clericalism is the application of the formal, church-based, leadership or opinion of ordained clergy in matters of either the church or broader political and sociocultural import. In a pejorative manner, "clericalism" is often used to denote an ecclesiolatry approach to issues beyond the church by either clergy or their supporters while the term has also been applied in a pejorative manner to describe the cronyism and cloistered political environs of the Church—mainly in reference to the Roman Catholic Church.

Outside of Catholicism, clericalism is used to denote the divisions between ordained clergy and lay leaders in some churches while the older meaning of the term—an application of church-based theory or thought to secular issues—seems rather lost in most current uses of the term. In the aforementioned use of the term, it is important to discern the difference between a belief in a separation of church and state—which is not truly involving of clericalism—and the belief that church leadership should not be an internal and cloistered body that answers only to itself or that such leaders should not act as a powerful force in matters beyond the internal concerns of their church. Much debate in recent years over the sexual-abuse scandals in the Roman Catholic Church has brought about charges of "clericalism" in the sense of bishops and other leaders covering up the misactions of clergy under their leadership. In this application of the term, clericalism has come to imply a division between ordained church leaders—that such leaders have an exclusive society unto themselves—and the lay followers.

Much debate over clericalism appears to dwell on whether the high clergy should have as much control over church offices and functions as they do and whether the hierarchical and authoritarian nature of the traditional Catholic systems of promotion for clergy is effective in contemporary society. Again, while the Catholic Church is most commonly at the centre of issues germane to clericalism it is not the only faith where charges of clericalism have been brought forth by those who feel the clergy has too much influence or should be reformed. Therefore the debate over clericalism and anti-clericalism is often really a debate over how and by whom the church should be lead and directed.

Léon Gambetta, a noted anti-clerical French politician, famously said that Clericalism is the enemy (Le cléricalisme, voilà l'ennemi).

See also


Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Поможем решить контрольную работу

Look at other dictionaries:

  • clericalism — CLERICALÍSM s.n. Curent politic care consideră legitimă dominaţia bisericii şi a clerului asupra vieţii politice, sociale şi culturale a unei ţări. – Din fr. cléricalisme. Trimis de ibogdank, 13.09.2007. Sursa: DEX 98  clericalísm s. n. Trimis… …   Dicționar Român

  • Clericalism — Cler ic*al*ism, n. An excessive devotion to the interests of the sacerdotal order; undue influence of the clergy; sacerdotalism. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • clericalism — [kler′i kəliz΄əm] n. political influence or power of the clergy, or a policy or principles favoring this: generally a derogatory term clericalist n …   English World dictionary

  • clericalism — clerical ► ADJECTIVE 1) relating to the routine work of an office clerk. 2) of or relating to the clergy. DERIVATIVES clericalism noun clericalist noun clerically adverb …   English terms dictionary

  • Clericalism in Iran — Sheikh Fazlollah Noori Clericalism in Iran (Persian: کارنامه و تاريخچه روحانيت در ايران) has a long history and had remarkable impact on Iranian society, politics as well as on Islamic theology. Contents 1 Emergen …   Wikipedia

  • clericalism — noun Date: 1864 a policy of maintaining or increasing the power of a religious hierarchy …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • clericalism — clericalist, n. /kler i keuh liz euhm/, n. 1. clerical principles. 2. clerical power or influence in government, politics, etc. (distinguished from laicism). 3. support of such power or influence. [1860 65; CLERICAL + ISM] * * * …   Universalium

  • clericalism — noun political or secular power invested in members of the clergy. See Also: clericalist …   Wiktionary

  • clericalism — cler·i·cal·ism || klerɪkÉ™lɪzm n. clerical principles; influence of the clergy (in politics, government, etc.) …   English contemporary dictionary

  • clericalism — cler·i·cal·ism …   English syllables

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”