churchperson

plural churchpersons · plural churchpeople

1. A person involved with the church; a churchgoer or cleric.

   He has been portrayed as both a narrow dogmatist and an ecumenical churchperson; a ruthless inquisitor and a sensitive, caring pastor...

   1996, Carter Lindberg, The European Reformations

   2 more examples

   Even though the ordination of Ellen Barrett was allowed to stand because she admitted publically^([sic]) only her orientation, and refused to discuss the particulars of her relationships, her presence forces churchpeople to consider on what grounds gay relationships can be sanctioned within the community.

   1979 April 28, John Graczak, “The Sacred and the Profane”, in Gay Community News, page 16

   The level of diction of the person in the street is usually different from that of a high churchperson. The latter might speak in an "elevated style"...

   1999, Lewis Turco, The Book of Literary Terms