theocratic
Ruled by priests
Theocratic describes government by religious authority—rule by priests, clergy, or those claiming divine mandate.
A theocratic state bases its laws on religious doctrine rather than secular principles: Iran's theocratic government, theocratic rule in medieval Europe.
The word often carries critical connotations, suggesting the imposition of religious beliefs through political power.
Islamic successor-led government
- papacyPope's office and authority
- sultanateSultan-ruled state
- ayatollahShia jurisprudence master
- VaticanPapal city-state
patriarchate · pontificate · sharia · ecclesiastical · synod · canon law · rabbinical · episcopacy
Ordained religious officials collectively
- priesthoodOrdained religious office
- imamMuslim religious guide
- mullahIslamic religious leader
- rabbiJewish spiritual leader
pope · patriarch · bishop · ayatollah · ecclesiastic · prelate · hierarch · sacerdotal
Ancient Egyptian ruler
- caliphateIslamic successor-led government
- ByzantiumEastern Roman civilization
- Holy Roman EmpireMedieval Germanic political entity
- TalibanAfghan Islamist movement
Puritan · Geneva · crusades · inquisition · Cromwell · Khomeini · Tibet · ancient Israel
Muslim canonical jurisprudence
- canon lawReligious institutional regulations
- fatwaIslamic legal pronouncement
- commandmentsAuthoritative rules demanding compliance
- edictsAuthoritative public commands
decrees · prohibitions · injunctions · religious law · blasphemy · apostasy · heresy · penal
caliphate
Islamic successor-led government
Vatican · patriarchate · pontificate · sharia · ecclesiastical · synod · canon law · rabbinical · episcopacy · bishopric
clergy
Ordained religious officials collectively
- priesthoodOrdained religious office
- imamMuslim religious guide
- mullahIslamic religious leader
rabbi · pope · patriarch · bishop · ayatollah · ecclesiastic · prelate · hierarch · sacerdotal · ordained
pharaoh
Ancient Egyptian ruler
- caliphateIslamic successor-led government
- ByzantiumEastern Roman civilization
- Holy Roman EmpireMedieval Germanic political entity
Taliban · Puritan · Geneva · crusades · inquisition · Cromwell · Khomeini · Tibet · ancient Israel · Medina
sharia
Muslim canonical jurisprudence
- canon lawReligious institutional regulations
- fatwaIslamic legal pronouncement
- commandmentsAuthoritative rules demanding compliance
edicts · decrees · prohibitions · injunctions · religious law · blasphemy · apostasy · heresy · penal · sanctions
doctrine
Established body of teachings
revelation · prophecy · creed · liturgy · sacrament · ritual · worship · prayer · piety · devotion
- Jehovah's WitnessesJehovah's Witnesses, Jehovah, Kingdom Hall, Watchtower, disfellowshipping
- politicalconservative, liberal, moderate, centrist, leftist
- civilizationsancient, medieval, modern, tribal, feudal
- political labelsliberal, conservative, leftist, rightist, moderate
- work stylescollaborative, hierarchical, agile, flexible, structured
theocraticsecular
Nonreligious, worldly
secularist · nonreligious · irreligious · atheistic · godless
theocraticsecular
Nonreligious, worldly
democratic · constitutional · humanistic · rationalist · liberal
theocraticsecular
Nonreligious, worldly
democratic · republican · popular · civic · technocratic