unchurch

[ uhn-church ]

verb (used with object)

1. to expel (a person) from a church; excommunicate.
2. to deprive of the character and rights of a church.

unchurch

/ ʌnˈtʃɜːtʃ /

verb

1. to excommunicate
2. to remove church status from (a building)

Word History and Origins

Origin of unchurch¹

First recorded in 1610–20; un- ² + church

Example Sentences

As Ruth Graham and Charles Homans reported for the New York Times, these unchurched Christians build their spiritual lives around "podcasts and YouTube channels that discuss politics ... from a right-wing, and sometimes Christian, worldview."

From Salon

“The unchurched boy joins the troop, and then the unchurched family joins the church.”

From Washington Times

These opponents, he said, “are not just uninformed or unchurched. They are often deeply wounded people whom the devil can easily take advantage of.”

From Salon

Irate, Gonzo waxes grandiose about how unchurched and “evil” Seattle is.

From Seattle Times

In an age when more and more people are unchurched, this is itself a public service.

From Washington Post