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• established church
  established church

  noun

  a church that is recognized by law, and sometimes financially supported, as the official church of a nation.
• Established Church
  Established Church

  noun

  a Church that is officially recognized as a national institution, esp the Church of England

established church

American  

noun

1. a church that is recognized by law, and sometimes financially supported, as the official church of a nation.

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Established Church British  

noun

1. a Church that is officially recognized as a national institution, esp the Church of England

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established church ¹ Cultural  

1. A church supported by the government as a national institution. The Church of England is an established church in England, as is the Lutheran Church in the countries of Scandinavia and the Presbyterian Church in Scotland.

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established church ² Cultural  

1. A religious denomination that receives financial and other support from the government, often to the exclusion of support for other denominations. (See under “World Literature, Philosophy, and Religion.”)

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Etymology

Origin of established church

First recorded in 1650–60

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

established church Established Church

The Saints are not affiliated with an established church in Australia and count around two dozen members from three families among its members.

From BBC ● Feb. 26, 2025

Christianity in Africa had been inextricably tied to the missionary model, in which Europeans came to Africa and established church missions to spread the Christian faith.

From Textbooks ● Dec. 14, 2022

Before it was formed after the American Revolution, Anglicanism was the established church of the Virginia colony.

From Washington Post ● Aug. 14, 2022

“Cures and charms go way beyond the established church, it predates Christianity,” Dr. Moore said.

From New York Times ● Dec. 20, 2021

Why the morals of the common people are more regular in sectaries than under the established church, ib.

From An Inquiry Into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations by Garnier, Germain

After Cambridge, Ramsey entered Cuddesdon College, a theological seminary near Oxford, and began his rapid and seemingly effortless rise to the top rank of the Established Church.

From Time Magazine Archive

As "Defender of the Faith." and official head of the Established Church, Queen Elizabeth cannot consent officially to such a marriage, even though Townsend was the innocent party in the divorce.

From Time Magazine Archive

His inglorious job was to uphold the unpopular Established Church, put down the dissenting Covenanters with a heavy hand.

From Time Magazine Archive

After about 180 executions, including the Jesuit Robert Southwell, Elizabeth said that if her council wanted to convert more Catholics to the Established Church, they should do so by the example of their lives.

From Time Magazine Archive

Till the year 1878 every Fellow had to become a Priest of the Established Church within seven years, on pain of forfeiting his Fellowship.

From Highways and Byways in Cambridge and Ely by Conybeare, Edward