Liberal Dictionary English Dictionary
noun
- a church that is recognized by law, and sometimes financially supported, as the official church of a nation.
noun
- a Church that is officially recognized as a national institution, esp the Church of England
A religious denomination that receives financial and other support from the government, often to the exclusion of support for other denominations. (See under “World Literature, Philosophy, and Religion.”)
A church supported by the government as a national institution. The Church of England is an established church in England, as is the Lutheran Church in the countries of Scandinavia and the Presbyterian Church in Scotland.