{{wiktionary|Antidisestablishmentarianism}}

'''Antidisestablishmentarianism''' (listen to {{Audio-nohelp|Antidisestablishmentarianism.ogg|British sample}}, {{Audio-nohelp|Antidis.ogg|American sample}}) is a political position which originated in [[nineteenth century]] [[UK|Britain]], where "antidisestablishmentarians" were opposed to proposals to remove the [[Church of England]]'s status as the [[State religion|state church]] of [[England]].

The movement succeeded in predominantly [[Anglican]] England, but failed overwhelmingly in [[Roman Catholic]] [[Ireland]] – where the [[Church of Ireland]] was disestablished in 1871 – and in [[Wales]] whose [[Church in Wales|Church of Wales]] was disestablished in 1920. Antidisestablishmentarian members of the [[Free Church of Scotland (1843-1900)#Unions and relationships with other Presbyterians|Free Church of Scotland]] delayed merger with the [[United Presbyterian Church of Scotland]] in a dispute about the position of the [[Church of Scotland]].

The term has largely fallen into disuse, although the issue itself is still current (see [[Act of Settlement 1701]]).

== Word Length ==

Atypically long, this word is sometimes employed to imply that the user has an above average intellect. ("Some techy words -- 'global thermonuclear war,' 'quadratic equation' and 'antidisestablishmentarianism' -- just sound smart." — New York Times, December 30, 2004.)

"Antidisestablishmentarianism" is 28 letters long

==References==
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*Adrian Hastings, ''Church and state : the English experience'' (Exeter : University of Exeter Press, 1991.)
*[http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?term=antidisestablishmentarianism Antidisestablishmentarianism in the Online Etymology Dictionary]
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[[Category:Political theories]]
[[Category:Anglicanism]]
[[Category:Religion and politics]]
[[Category:Church of England disestablishment]]
[[Category:Separation of church and state]]

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