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Congregationalism

Congregationalism

9.9
A way of running Protestant churches where each local church runs itself
  • noun
  • /ˌkɒŋɡrɪˈɡeɪʃənəlɪzəm/
translation icon : congregacionalismo
  • Some say that's when Congregationalism began to

Examples

  • Many small communities in New England practice Congregationalism, emphasizing local governance and independence.

  • Frank: Congregationalism, you realize, is democracy in action.

    Academic text (2017)
  • Obviously, the whole idea of congregationalism is local control, which is very different from your Episcopal background, and I hope and pray you find an amicable solution.

    Blog text (32)
  • Frank does not reveal how he feels about the hyperegalitarianism of Congregationalism, so this aside provides a singularly non-evaluative description of religious practice.

    Academic text (2017)
  • The period in which this development took place was one in which throughout Massachusetts merchants, lawyers, manufacturers, and other representatives of the "Center" were being drawn away from Congregationalism to Episcopalianism and Unitarianism.

    Academic text (1993)
  • Helen and Julia must have felt that our brand of Congregationalism was hardly a religion at all, and so they surreptitiously took us to their church, St. John the Baptist, a big yellow-brick structure, the most prominent building in Whiting (which had, and still has, a large Polish and Slovakian population).

    Academic text (2005)
  • In a system of Congregationalism, each church makes its own decisions without outside interference.

  • The principle of Congregationalism allows individual congregations to choose their leaders and manage their affairs.

How Self-Governing

Congregationalism
9.9
episcopacy
  • Formal
1 9.9
church-state
1 8.3

Surface Forms

Morphology

Congregationalism = congregational (semi-transparent) = congregation + al + ism

The adjective 'congregational' (congregation + -al) clearly yields a noun of doctrine or system with the suffix '-ism'.

Etymology

Congregationalism comes from congregation, a group that 'gathers together', and the ending -ism, meaning a 'system or belief'. So, Congregationalism is the church system where each local congregation 'rules itself' and makes its own decisions.