1. excessive devotion to or emphasis on the authority, practices, and interests of the established church or clergy
Usage: often used critically or disapprovingly
2. the principles, practices, or system of the Christian church or its clergy
Usage: formal or academic usage

Examples

• The reformers criticized the ecclesiasticism of the medieval church.
• His ecclesiasticism led him to prioritize church doctrine over individual conscience.
• The rise of ecclesiasticism in the institution concerned those who valued secular governance.
• She rejected ecclesiasticism in favor of a more personal spiritual practice.
• The author's work examines how ecclesiasticism shaped European politics during the Renaissance.