ecclesial

American  

[ih-klee-zee-uhl] / ɪˈkli zi əl /

adjective

1. pertaining to a church or its functions, teachings, or organization.

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Etymology

Origin of ecclesial

1640–50; < Latin ecclēsi ( a ) ecclesia + -al ¹; compare French ecclésial

Explanation

Anything ecclesial is related to a Christian church. You might go to Sunday services with your friend to find out what ecclesial offerings his church has. The adjective ecclesial derives from the Greek ekklesiastes, "speaker in a church" and its root ekkalein, "to call out." It's specifically used to talk about the Christian religion. If someone mentions ecclesial institutions, they mean churches, and a reference to an ecclesial service is the same as talking about a sermon in a Christian church. Catholics sometimes use the phrase "ecclesial community" to refer to non-Catholic churches.

Example Sentences

The Church's most senior ecclesial figure on the island, Elder Inoke Kupu, said: "There is only one colour in Tonga right now, and that is a dark dust."

From BBC • Jan. 19, 2022

Francis, who blames abuse of power by priests for many of the church’s ills, argued that the way forward rested in “the growth of a specific ecclesial culture that is distinctively lay.”

From New York Times • Feb. 12, 2020

The CDF serves as the central processing center for abuse cases as well as an appeals court for accused priests under the church’s canon law, a parallel legal system that dispenses ecclesial justice.

From Seattle Times • Dec. 19, 2019

"It is an activity that supports the most needy and ecclesial communities in difficulty who approach the Apostolic See for help."

From Fox News • Dec. 13, 2019

The inevitable result of this was to create two classes of prelates—one of lay, the other of ecclesial investiture.

From The Truce of God A Tale of the Eleventh Century by Miles, George Henry