Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • noun The branch of theology that is concerned with the nature, constitution, and functions of a church.
  • noun The study of ecclesiastical architecture and ornamentation.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • noun The science of the church as an organized society, and of whatever relates to its outward expression or manifestation.
  • noun The science of church architecture and decoration.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • noun The science or theory of church building and decoration.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun The branch of theology concerned with the doctrines, role etc. of a church.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • noun the branch of theology concerned with the nature and the constitution and the functions of a church

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[ecclesi(a) + –logy.]

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Examples

  • The most in-depth study of Ratzinger's ecclesiology is likely Joseph Ratzinger: Life in the Church and Living Theology, Fundamentals of Ecclesiology, by Maximilian Heinrich Heim, which for $12 (the current online price) is a steal.

    ID/Evolution 2009

  • One of the best documents to read for those who have questions about Catholic ecclesiology is Lumen Gentium, the Second Vatican Council's Dogmatic Constitution on the Church; it was an essential text for me when I was working though many questions in my journey to and into the Catholic Church.

    Ecumenism 2009

  • One of the best documents to read for those who have questions about Catholic ecclesiology is Lumen Gentium, the Second Vatican Council's Dogmatic Constitution on the Church; it was an essential text for me when I was working though many questions in my journey to and into the Catholic Church.

    A bit more on Holy Communion and non-Catholic Christians 2009

  • One of the best documents to read for those who have questions about Catholic ecclesiology is Lumen Gentium, the Second Vatican Council's Dogmatic Constitution on the Church; it was an essential text for me when I was working though many questions in my journey to and into the Catholic Church.

    Insight Scoop | The Ignatius Press Blog: 2009

  • I recently reviewed O'Malley's book for a graduate course in ecclesiology.

    Jesuit: Obama is "the most effective spokesperson" for "the spirit of Vatican II" 2009

  • Such Orthodox complain that, in the Catholic Church, there is only one bishop with many auxiliaries; but historically as well as today, Rome has exerted much less de facto authority over local ordinaries than popular notions of papal supremacy would suggest; and given her official ecclesiology, that is as it should be.

    Damned either way Mike L 2007

  • Such Orthodox complain that, in the Catholic Church, there is only one bishop with many auxiliaries; but historically as well as today, Rome has exerted much less de facto authority over local ordinaries than popular notions of papal supremacy would suggest; and given her official ecclesiology, that is as it should be.

    Archive 2007-07-01 Mike L 2007

  • But the point is that the phenomenon of discovering Christ outside the visible boundaries of the Catholic Church does nothing to call the ecclesiology of said Church into question.

    Archive 2006-10-01 Mike L 2006

  • But the point is that the phenomenon of discovering Christ outside the visible boundaries of the Catholic Church does nothing to call the ecclesiology of said Church into question.

    The Pontificator and "saint" on leaving the Catholic Church Mike L 2006

  • Central to his ecclesiology is the impossibility of determining the presence of grace in another's soul, which militates against identifying members of the elect with certainty, and therefore against excommunicating any of them from the Church, as well as ruling out popular election as a means of instituting just civil dominium.

    John Wyclif's Political Philosophy Lahey, Stephen 2006

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