Skip to main content
ecclesial

ecclesial

2 9.3
Relating to a church, its leaders, or its work
  • adjective
  • /ɪˈkliz.i.əl/
  • Specialized
translation icon : eclesial
  • For example, might marriage become rather a civil or familial matter than an ecclesial one?
  • ecclesial community
  • ecclesial communion
  • ecclesial hierarchy

Examples

  • And how could the church of Christ be "present and operative" in other churches and ecclesial communities?

    Academic text (2008)
  • The church organized an ecclesial gathering to discuss community service projects.

  • Within the Church, personnel and leadership changes led to the rise of neo-conservative ecclesial views.

    Academic text (1990)
  • For the same reason, he insists that the institutional ecclesial tradition is the proper setting for theology.

    Academic text (1991)
  • The sense of democracy that emerges from this commitment to ecclesial dialogue provides a challenge to change the Church.

    Academic text (1993)
  • The churches generally agree as to the importance of Tradition, which different ecclesial traditions need to embody.

    Academic text (2015)
  • Both the language of ecclesial "democracy" and that of ecclesial "hierarchy" have limitations and can be subject to misinterpretation.

    Academic text (2001)
  • Perhaps there was considerable wisdom in Vatican II's language of "churches and ecclesial communities."

    Academic text (2015)
  • There is, however, another important aspect to Fr. Peter's ecclesial involvement.

    Academic text (1990)
  • Gutierrez's ecclesiology, like Bonhoeffer's, exemplifies what James Nickoloff calls an "ecclesial shift" from "moral exhortation to solidarity."

    Academic text (2001)

Synonyms

ecclesiastical
vsecclesial
  • Formal
12 9.9

Connected with the Christian Church and its leaders

is broader, meaning relation to church functions and organization
ecclesiastic
vsecclesial
  • Formal
1 9.9

Relating to the church or to its priests and ministers

is about church functions and organization rather than its people
churchly
vsecclesial
1 8.2

Having the look or feel of a church, often quiet and formal

is used for matters of church organization, functions, or activities

Antonyms

143 4.7

Not connected with religion, about everyday and public life

3 8.6

Not interested in religion or being against it

Surface Forms

ecclesial positive

Morphology

ecclesial = ecclesia (opaque) = ecclesia + al

The adjective is formally built from the learned base 'ecclesia' plus '-al', but most learners will not know the base and cannot easily infer the church-related meaning.

Etymology

Ecclesial comes from the Greek word ekklesia, which meant 'assembly' and later became the word for the Christian 'church'. So ecclesial describes things that belong to or are about the 'church' and its work.