Definition of ecclesiastical in English:

adjective

• Relating to the Christian Church or its clergy.

  ‘the ecclesiastical hierarchy’

  More example sentences

  • ‘If there is no clergy with binding ecclesiastical authority, then each Sikh has to cultivate and heed his own conscience.’
  • ‘The widespread acceptance of such doctrines bestowed enormous authority on the ecclesiastical hierarchy.’
  • ‘The preface to the reader made it abundantly clear that it was aimed not at erudite ecclesiastical theologians but at ordinary people.’
  • ‘The ecclesiastical structures of the churches in the four nations of Great Britain were in important respects distinct.’
  • ‘Ordination of women refers to the admission of women to ecclesiastical offices.’
  • ‘Even some who have been the subject of ecclesiastical sanction at his hand attest to his personal warmth.’
  • ‘The masses who once bowed their heads before the ecclesiastical whip now bowed their heads before the whip of the union boss.’
  • ‘He understood the Doctor and commended his stand on the ecclesiastical issues of the day to members of the congregation and to the deacons.’
  • ‘Churches will pay a heavy price for setting aside truth and settling for ecclesiastical engineering and managerial skills.’
  • ‘Nevertheless, wherever there is ecclesiastical authority, there is always the possibility of its misuse.’
  • ‘The term Apostle is the pinnacle of ecclesiastical recognition and there is a growing army of apostles in Africa!’
  • ‘In other words, it is a biblical and doctrinal criterion, not an ecclesiastical or historical one.’
  • ‘And why wait for the ecclesiastical niceties to be ironed out before such a task is undertaken?’
  • ‘The regime raised the stipends of clergy and restored a number of ecclesiastical properties to the orders.’
  • ‘The marriage was valid under canonical and ecclesiastical laws.’
  • ‘Several early ecclesiastical centers and monasteries are also shown.’
  • ‘Our eyes are drawn to the magnificent ecclesiastical buildings that are especially prominent in York.’
  • ‘It hides two decent ecclesiastical buildings both of which deserve a better neighbour.’
  • ‘The clergy also intervened in disputes through the provision of ecclesiastical sanctuary.’
  • ‘This did not fit in well with ecclesiastical views on divine providence.’

  Synonyms

  priestly, ministerial, clerical, ecclesiastic, prelatic, canonical, parsonical, pastoral

  View synonyms