What does laicism mean?
Laicism is the policy or principle of giving members of the laity a meaningful role in the governance of a church. The term is particularly associated with historical debates over whether religious institutions should be controlled by ordained clergy or by lay representatives. It concerns authority within a religious community, rather than the relationship between religion and government, which is the subject of secularism. In the word laicism, the sense of “lay” is connected to the older distinction between the laity and the clergy. Although now uncommon outside historical, ecclesiastical, or political discussion, laicism is useful for identifying a distinct position in arguments about institutional power: whether ordinary members of a church should share in administering it. The opposite concept, clericalism, denotes preference for clerical control or dominance.
nounThe policy or principle of giving members of the laity a significant role in the governance of a church, especially by appointing them to offices that are otherwise reserved for the clergy. It is chiefly used in historical discussion of debates over clerical and lay authority.
- The policy or principle of allowing the laity to participate in the government or administration of a church, especially through appointment to offices traditionally reserved for the clergy.
"The nineteenth-century movement favoured laicism and sought to give lay representatives greater authority in church government."
"Critics accused the reform of promoting laicism by transferring control of church institutions from clergy to elected lay representatives."
"The debate over laicism became especially prominent in nineteenth-century arguments about the internal governance of religious communities."
The plural is grammatical but rare; laicism is normally used as an uncountable term for a policy, principle, or doctrine.
"The historian contrasted the competing laicisms represented by different religious movements."
Laicism turns a familiar church question on its head: not how much religion should have in public life, but how much power ordinary members of the congregation should have within it.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does laicism come from?
Laicism was formed in English from laic, meaning “of or relating to the laity,” together with the suffix -ism, which forms a noun denoting a doctrine, principle, or characteristic practice. The English word laic comes through Latin from Greek laikos, derived from laos, meaning “people.” The same root also underlies laity, layman, and lay, though the precise historical paths by which these related English words developed were not uniform.
How laicism is actually used
A relatively uncommon, chiefly historical term. It normally occurs in formal discussions of church government, religious authority, or nineteenth-century political and religious movements; it should not be treated as a general synonym for secularism.
Easily confused with laicism
Laicism is a policy concerning the participation of non-clergy in church government, whereas the laity is the body of people belonging to a church who are not its ordained clergy.
Laicism concerns the distribution of authority within a religious institution, while secularism concerns the separation of religious institutions from state or public authority.