theocracy
Clergy-controlled state system
A theocracy is a government in which religious authorities hold political power, or in which the state claims to govern according to divine law.
The clergy may rule directly, or secular leaders may derive their authority from religious sanction: Iran is often described as a theocracy.
The term sometimes describes any society where religion dominates public life: Critics warned the country was sliding toward theocracy.
Ordained religious office
- hierarchyRanked authority structure
- divine rightGod-granted ruling authority
- ecclesiasticalRelating to church matters
- canon lawReligious institutional regulations
religious law · religious authority · sacerdotal · religious courts
Unchallengeable official beliefs
- creedStatement of belief
- canonAccepted authoritative works
- heresyBelief opposing official doctrine
- blasphemyIrreverence toward the sacred
orthodoxy · fundamentalism · divine mandate · sectarianism · schism · apostasy · excommunication · inquisition
Power derived from deity
- prophetDivinely inspired messenger
- revelationSurprising disclosed truth
- divine willGod's sovereign intention
- religious devotionSincere worship commitment
piety · sanctity · clergy · god-king · divine mandate · covenant · chosen people · messianic
Islamic head of state
Papal city-state
- PopeCatholic Church's supreme leader
- Holy SeePapal governing authority
- CardinalsSt. Louis franchise
- Swiss GuardPapal security force
St. Peter's Basilica · Sistine Chapel · Vatican Council · apostolic · pontificate · Inquisition
priesthood
Ordained religious office
- hierarchyRanked authority structure
- divine rightGod-granted ruling authority
- ecclesiasticalRelating to church matters
canon law · religious law · religious authority · sacerdotal · religious courts
dogma
Unchallengeable official beliefs
blasphemy · orthodoxy · fundamentalism · divine mandate · sectarianism · schism · apostasy · excommunication · inquisition · religious conformity
divine authority
Power derived from deity
- prophetDivinely inspired messenger
- revelationSurprising disclosed truth
- divine willGod's sovereign intention
religious devotion · piety · sanctity · clergy · god-king · divine mandate · covenant · chosen people · messianic · millennialism
caliph
Islamic head of state
sultanate · emirate · ottoman · moorish · sharia · mullah · ayatollah
Vatican
Papal city-state
Swiss Guard · St. Peter's Basilica · Sistine Chapel · Vatican Council · apostolic · pontificate · Inquisition
- theopoliticsChristian right, religious right, separation of church and state, state religion, established church
- historyancient civilizations, past events, historian, epochs, era
- governancegovernance, government, democracy, vote, parliament
- governmentsdemocracy, monarchy, autocracy, oligarchy, republic
- Political HistoryAmerican Revolution, French Revolution, Russian Revolution, British Empire, Roman Empire
- religionChristianity, Islam, beliefs, Judaism, Hinduism
theocracydemocracy
Rule by the people
popular sovereignty · republic · constitutional democracy · representative government · self-governance
theocracysecularism
Separation of faith, state
secular state · separation of church and state · civil government · secular humanism · humanism
theocracydemocracy
Rule by the people
constitutional democracy · popular sovereignty · republic · technocracy · meritocracy