theocracies
Clergy-led political systems
Theocracies is the plural of theocracy—a system of government in which religious authority rules, or claims to rule, on behalf of God or gods.
In a theocracy, religious law serves as civil law, and clergy hold political power: Medieval Europe saw theocracies where popes wielded authority over kings.
The term often carries critical connotations, implying that secular governance has been subverted by religious doctrine.
Ordained religious office
- clergyOrdained religious officials collectively
- clericalOf office duties
- ecclesiasticReligious minister or priest
- prelateSenior church official
bishop · ayatollah · imam · rabbi · pope · patriarch · mullah · ordination
Unchallengeable official beliefs
- creedStatement of belief
- canonAccepted authoritative works
- orthodoxyAdherence to accepted beliefs
- heresyBelief opposing official doctrine
sharia · scripture · tenet · precept · catechism · exegesis · blasphemy · apostasy
System of governance
- sovereigntySupreme independent authority
- totalitarianismState controls everything absolutely
- authoritarianismConcentrated, unchecked governmental power
- ruleGoverning principle or standard
dictatorship · monarchy · oligarchy · tyranny · despotism · polity · nation-state · dominion
Papal city-state
- IranIslamic republic in Asia
- TibetHimalayan plateau region
- GenevaSwiss seat of diplomacy
- caliphateIslamic successor-led government
Saudi Arabia · Taliban · Puritan · Byzantine · ancient Israel · Holy Roman Empire · Massachusetts Bay
Worthy of reverence
- divinitySacred nature or nougat-like sweet
- deityWorshipped supernatural being
- providenceDivine protective care
- almightyHaving complete power
celestial · transcendent · holiness · sanctity · mandate · revelation · prophecy · anointed
priesthood
Ordained religious office
- clergyOrdained religious officials collectively
- clericalOf office duties
- ecclesiasticReligious minister or priest
prelate · bishop · ayatollah · imam · rabbi · pope · patriarch · mullah · ordination · vestments
dogma
Unchallengeable official beliefs
heresy · sharia · scripture · tenet · precept · catechism · exegesis · blasphemy · apostasy · fundamentalism
regime
System of governance
- sovereigntySupreme independent authority
- totalitarianismState controls everything absolutely
- authoritarianismConcentrated, unchecked governmental power
rule · dictatorship · monarchy · oligarchy · tyranny · despotism · polity · nation-state · dominion · caliphate
Vatican
Papal city-state
caliphate · Saudi Arabia · Taliban · Puritan · Byzantine · ancient Israel · Holy Roman Empire · Massachusetts Bay
sacred
Worthy of reverence
- divinitySacred nature or nougat-like sweet
- deityWorshipped supernatural being
- providenceDivine protective care
almighty · celestial · transcendent · holiness · sanctity · mandate · revelation · prophecy · anointed · chosen
ritual
Ceremonial set of actions
temple · mosque · church · synagogue · shrine · pilgrimage · devotion · piety · observance · ceremony
- territoriesprovince, state, region, country, colony
- geopoliticsbalance of power, bipolarity, bloc, blocs, brinkmanship
theocraciesliberal democracies
States combining elections with protected rights
theocraciesdemocracies
Governments elected by people
technocracies · meritocracies · republics · plutocracies · oligarchies
democracy, theology, aristocracy, bureaucracy, autocracy, plutocracy, theocracy, theocratic, theocrat