noun
- Excessive emphasis on or adherence to liturgical forms and rituals in religious practice, often at the expense of spiritual substance or personal faith.
Usage: formal; religious/theological context; often used critically
Examples
- The priest warned against liturgism, urging the congregation to focus on genuine devotion rather than mere ceremony.
- Some reformers criticized liturgism as a hollow practice that neglected the inner life of faith.
- The debate between liturgism and spontaneous worship has long divided Christian denominations.
- Liturgism can obscure the deeper meaning of religious observance when form becomes more important than substance.