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Reconstructionism

American  
[ree-kuhn-struhk-shuh-niz-uhm] / ˌri kənˈstrʌk ʃəˌnɪz əm /

noun

  1. a 20th-century movement among U.S. Jews, founded by Rabbi Mordecai M. Kaplan, advocating that Judaism, being a culture and way of life as well as a religion, is in sum a religious civilization requiring constant adaptation to contemporary conditions so that Jews can identify more readily and meaningfully with the Jewish community.


Etymology

Origin of Reconstructionism

1940–45; reconstruction ( def. ) + -ism

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

There are two major forms of dominionism in America today: Christian Reconstructionism and the New Apostolic Reformation.

From Salon May 26, 2024

Reconstructionism is based on a foundational belief in multiracial democracy and in the tools we have to enforce the federal government’s promise of equality: voting, protesting, boycotting and other types of civic action.

From Washington Post Nov. 2, 2022

I asked an evangelical historian about that language and whether he thinks that Pence is a true believer, in terms of Christian Dominionism and Reconstructionism.

From Salon Oct. 6, 2019

Octogenarian Kaplan eagerly expounded the principles of Reconstructionism last week in Manhattan for what is at least the 100,000th time.

From Time Magazine Archive

Conservatives have eight synagogues in Israel, Reform has eight, and even Reconstructionism has one.

From Time Magazine Archive

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