Religious Governance

noun the part of a church reserved for the clergy

• The presbytery is responsible for overseeing the spiritual and administrative affairs of the church.
• The presbytery meeting is usually quite boring, but it's important for church business.
• I heard the presbytery is having a potluck after the service this Sunday.
• In the presbytery of nature, the trees stand tall like elders watching over the land.

noun a system of government in which priests rule in the name of God or a god

• Theocracy is a form of government in which religious leaders hold political power.
• In a theocracy, the government is heavily influenced by religious beliefs.
• Some people think living in a theocracy would be like being ruled by a religious dictatorship.
• The company's strict policies made it feel like a theocracy, with the boss acting as a supreme leader.