Brewer's: Erastianism

State supremacy or interference in ecclesiastical affairs. Thus the Church of England is sometimes called “Erastian,” because the two Houses of Parliament can interfere in its ritual and temporalities, and the sovereign, as the “head” of it, appoints bishops and other dignitaries thereof.

Related Content Allusions Foreign Words and Phrases Latin and Greek Word Elements Names: Their Origins and Meanings Old Testament Names Mythology Ancient Greek Literature & Mythology The Bible (King James version) The Koran (translation by J. M. Rodwell) Shakespeare's Plays Tales from Shakespeare (Charles and Mary Lamb) Frequently Misspelled Words Frequently Mispronounced Words Easily Confused Words Writing & Language