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collegialism

noun col·le·gi·al·ism \ -ˌlizəm \

Definition of collegialism

plural -s
: a theory of church polity that defines the church as a society of voluntary members independent of the state, self-governing, and with authority vested in the members

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Origin and Etymology of collegialism

German kollegialismus, from kollegial (from Latin collegialis) + -ismus -ism

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