ecclesiarchy

Ecclesiarchy is a term used to describe the organizational and administrative structure through which a church governs itself and its affairs. In broad usage, it refers to the hierarchy of church leadership, the administration of doctrine and liturgy, the management of church property, and the enforcement of religious law or discipline. It encompasses the roles and offices of clergy, from local priests to higher prelates, as well as the institutions that support religious education, charity, and governance.

In religious traditions that emphasize a formal clergy and centralized authority, the ecclesiarchy typically includes a tiered hierarchy with local pastors or priests, then regional leaders such as bishops or archpriests, and higher authorities such as archbishops, metropolitans, or cardinals. It may also oversee seminaries, chancelleries, courts of church law, and various monastic or religious orders. The term is often contrasted with secular authority or lay leadership within a given society.

In science fiction and popular culture, Ecclesiarchy is frequently used to denote a centralized, state-sponsored religious institution. The most well-known example is the Imperial Ecclesiarchy, or Adeptus Ministorum, in the Warhammer 40,000 universe. Here it administers the Imperial Creed, directs missionary work, maintains temples and rites, and wields significant political influence within the Imperium of Man. Its reach can extend into governance, education, and enforcement, sometimes bringing it into conflict with other power centers such as the Inquisition or military authorities.

Overall, the concept of an ecclesiarchy centers on the organized management and political influence of religious authority within a society or fiction.