church militant

noun

, Theology.

those Christians on earth who are engaged in a continuous war against evil and the enemies of Christ.

First recorded in 1530–40

They will always remember that thou wert their faithful mother, their robust nurse, and their church militant.

Indeed, the outward manifestations of Huguenot zeal had then ceased to be characteristic of the Church militant.

The church militant and triumphant could no longer be the church humble and unknown.

Islam became a permanent and world-wide religion only when it clothed itself with armour and became a church militant.

I'll swear that's not the text, but any of my troopers could quote it you; every man of them is an incarnate Church militant.

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