Tunnustuksellisia

Tunnustuksellisia is the plural partitive form of the Finnish adjective tunnustuksellinen, meaning confessional or creedal. It is used to describe things that relate to a confession or creed, or groups that adhere to a specific confessional standard. In theological and church-historical contexts, tunnustuksellisia often describes churches, movements, or teachings that are anchored in a formal confession.

The word stems from tunnustus, meaning confession, with the adjective suffix -ellinen. The plural partitive ending -sia/-isia yields tunnustuksellisia, as in tunnustuksellisia kirkkoja (confessional churches) or tunnustuksellisia oppeja (creedal doctrines). This form is used when the modifying noun is plural and the context requires the partitive.

Usage and nuance: The term signals adherence to particular creedal standards, such as well-known confessions within various denominations, and is common in scholarly writing on doctrinal history and ecclesiastical discourse. It denotes doctrinal identity rather than making a value judgment about a group. While most often encountered in religious contexts, it can apply to movements, institutions, or statements of faith that identify themselves through a confessional framework.