Schism
Schism , noun
[Old English scisme, Old French cisme, scisme, French schisme, Latin schisma, Greek schi`sma, from schi`zein to split; akin to Latin scindere, Sanskrit chid, and prob. to English shed, transitive verb (which see); compare Rescind, Schedule, Zest.]
(Ecclesiastical) Division or separation;
(Ecclesiastical) permanent division or separation in the Christian church; breach of unity among people of the same religious faith; the offense of seeking to produce division in a church without justifiable cause.
Set bounds to our passions by reason, to our errors by truth, and to our schisms by charity.
Collocations (3)
Greek schism (Ecclesiastical) , the separation of the Greek and Roman churches.
Great schism or Western schism (Ecclesiastical) , a schism in the Roman church in the latter part of the 14th century, on account of rival claimants to the papal throne.
Schism act (Law) , an act of the English Parliament requiring all teachers to conform to the Established Church, -- passed in 1714, repealed in 1719.