Skip to main content
Glite Dictionary
🌍 Many groups together 🧠 Many realities ⛪ Many church jobs
pluralism

pluralism

1 9.3
The practice of one person holding more than one church job at the same time
  • noun
  • /ˈplʊrəlɪzəm/
  • Formal
translation icon : pluralismo
  • In some regions, the practice of pluralism allows for multiple church leaders to oversee various congregations simultaneously.
  • denominational pluralism
  • Catholic pluralism
  • religious pluralism

Examples

  • The church's pluralism means that one individual can hold different ministerial roles, providing a range of services to the community.

  • At Hunslet, for instance, a petition against pluralism and non-residency was raised, and at one point, 300 assembled in the chapelyard to shout the vicar's nominee out of the pulpit.

    Academic text (1993)

  • Rather, it is the result of the combination of religious pluralism and freedom of religion.

    Blog text (7)

  • The pluralism indissociable from a democratic society, which has been dearly won over the centuries, depends on it.

    Academic text (1997)

  • It is worthwhile to make some observations concerning religious pluralism and the process of democratization in Africa.

    Academic text (1996)

  • But the resulting denominational pluralism created new centers of power outside the Anglican planter elite.

    Academic text (1996)

  • To ignore or turn a blind eye to this modern Christian pluralism and diversity is the fatal flaw in viewing Christian communities today as the faithful moral remnant in society and the custodians of rejected values.

    Academic text (1992)

  • Despite all the discussion swirling around about thin and thick selves, and about negative and positive liberalism, and despite the tensions between this and other worldliness that have characterized Christianity since the beginning, Christians have no problem with pluralism, or at least a certain pluralism.

    Academic text (1999)

  • During the council, they discussed how pluralism affects church governance and the distribution of responsibilities among clergy.

Surface Forms

pluralism singular
pluralisms plural

Morphology

pluralism = plural (semi-transparent) = plural + ism

Morphologically regular ('plural' + '-ism'), but the ecclesiastical sense (holding multiple benefices) is a specialized administrative meaning that may not be obvious to all learners.

Etymology

Pluralism comes from plural ('more than one') and -ism ('a practice or system'). A helpful image is someone holding 'plural' jobs; in the church pluralism was the practice of one person holding more than one office at the same time.