church invisible

American  

noun

Theology.

1. the entire body of Christian believers on earth and in heaven.

---

Etymology

Origin of church invisible

First recorded in 1840–50

Example Sentences

Nor could we imagine any source other than the Church invisible for an interpretation so noble of the Scriptures of the Church visible.

From Project Gutenberg

There is no doubt that we need a Church visible as well as a Church invisible; need a body as well as a soul; and it is a very important question what sort of a body we shall have.

From Project Gutenberg

The Church Visible is the Church of the Mustard-seed; the Church Invisible is the Church of the Leaven.

From Project Gutenberg

In fact, he had not thought of it as being any church in particular, but as being a part of the great church invisible to which all God’s children belonged.

From Project Gutenberg

We have become accustomed to a distinction between the Church Visible and the Church Invisible which makes of them two different entities.

From Project Gutenberg