Erastianism

9.9

The idea that the government should control church affairs

noun
/ɪˈræstɪənɪzəm/

Formal

: erastianismo

The doctrine of Erastianism asserts that the state should have authority over the church in ecclesiastical affairs.

Examples

In 1633, there succeeded to the chair of archbishop of Canterbury one who was a well-known advocate of royal supremacy and ecclesiastical Erastianism—William Laud.

Academic text (1990)
Robert Cotton, a close friend of the great lawyer and antiquarian John Selden, addressed his Erastianism primarily toward solving England's Roman Catholic problem. Arguing from the tolerationist perspective, he saw no advantages whatsoever in the policies of persecution being used.

Academic text (1990)
Up to 1640, English Erastianism had, for the most part, sought to justify the authority of the monarch in Parliament or simply the monarch.

Academic text (1990)
Many supporters of Erastianism argue that government oversight can prevent religious conflicts.
In discussions about Erastianism, the state's influence on church governance often comes under scrutiny.

Synonyms

Byzantinism

vsErastianism

Specialized

1 9.9

A belief that the state controls the church's affairs

refers to a general doctrine not tied to one historical empire

Caesaropapism

vsErastianism

Formal

1 9.9

A system where the government controls the church and its leaders

says the state should have authority but with less absolute supremacy

Surface Forms

Erastianism singular

Erastianisms plural

Morphology

Erastianism = Erastian (opaque) = Erast + ian + ism

The formation 'Erastian' + '-ism' clearly signals a doctrinal noun, but understanding the specific doctrine requires knowledge of Erastian views.

Etymology

The word Erastianism is named after Thomas Erastus, a thinker from the 1500s who said the state should have power over the church. The ending -ism means 'belief' or 'doctrine', like in capitalism, so Erastianism is the idea that the state controls church affairs.