What is "broad church"

Broad Church \Broad" Church`\ (Eccl.) A portion of the Church of England, consisting of persons who claim to hold a position, in respect to doctrine and fellowship, intermediate between the High Church party and the Low Church, or evangelical, party. The term has been applied to other bodies of men holding liberal or comprehensive views of Christian doctrine and fellowship.

Side by side with these various shades of High and Low Church, another party of a different character has always existed in the Church of England. It is called by different names: Moderate, Catholic, or Broad Church, by its friends; Latitudinarian or Indifferent, by its enemies. Its distinctive character is the desire of comprehension. Its watch words are charity and toleration.
--Conybeare.

Church \Church\ (ch[^u]rch), n. [OE. chirche, chireche, cherche, Scot. kirk, from AS. circe, cyrice; akin to D. kerk, Icel. kirkja, Sw. kyrka, Dan. kirke, G. kirche, OHG. chirihha; all fr. Gr. kyriako`n the Lord's house, fr. kyriako`s concerning a master or lord, fr. ky`rios master, lord, fr. ky^ros power, might; akin to Skr. [,c][=u]ra hero, Zend. [,c]ura strong, OIr. caur, cur, hero. Cf. Kirk.]

1. A building set apart for Christian worship.

2. A Jewish or heathen temple. [Obs.]
   --Acts xix. 37.

3. A formally organized body of Christian believers worshiping together. ``When they had ordained them elders in every church.''
   --Acts xiv. 23.

4. A body of Christian believers, holding the same creed, observing the same rites, and acknowledging the same ecclesiastical authority; a denomination; as, the Roman Catholic church; the Presbyterian church.

5. The collective body of Christians.

6. Any body of worshipers; as, the Jewish church; the church of Brahm.

7. The aggregate of religious influences in a community; ecclesiastical influence, authority, etc.; as, to array the power of the church against some moral evil.

   Remember that both church and state are properly the rulers of the people, only because they are their benefactors.
   --Bulwer.

   Note: Church is often used in composition to denote something belonging or relating to the church; as, church authority; church history; church member; church music, etc.

   Apostolic church. See under Apostolic.

   Broad church. See Broad Church.

   Catholic church or Universal church, the whole body of believers in Christ throughout the world.

   Church of England, or English church, the Episcopal church established and endowed in England by law.

   Church living, a benefice in an established church.

   Church militant. See under Militant.

   Church owl (Zo["o]l.), the white owl. See Barn owl.

   Church rate, a tax levied on parishioners for the maintenance of the church and its services.

   Church session. See under Session.

   Church triumphant. See under Triumphant.

   Church work, work on, or in behalf of, a church; the work of a particular church for the spread of religion.

   Established church, the church maintained by the civil authority; a state church.

n. (context UK and Australia idiomatic English) A wide scope of political or religious philosophy and ideas. n. (alternative case form of Broad Church English)

Broad church is a term referring to latitudinarian churchmanship in the Church of England in particular and Anglicanism in general. The term is often used to refer to secular political organisations, meaning that they encompass a broad range of opinion.