apostasy Hear it!

apostasy Definition

apos·tasy (ə päs′tə sē)

noun pl. -·sies

an abandoning of what one has believed in, as a faith, cause, or principles

Etymology: ME apostasie < LL(Ec) apostasia < Gr apo-, away + stasis, a standing: see stasis

apostasy Usage Examples

Preposition: of

  • people: For instance, Baal, a Canaanite deity, frequently became a factor in the apostasy of the Hebrew people.

Converse of object

  • make: The deed suddenly wrought in the heat of excitement acted as a warning to multitudes who were preparing to make the same apostasy... .

Adjective modifier

  • national: And the times of national apostasy were precisely the period of the prophetic dispensation.
  • complete: The end result was disobedience and eventually complete apostasy from God, a falling away, a standing apart from the truth.
  • universal: The settlers are trying to displace the locals from whole swathes of land, and the author blames their failure on a universal apostasy.

Modifies a noun

  • law: This report tracks the application of apostasy laws around the world, citing many examples.

Preposition: in

  • church: And isn't our era one of theological and moral confusion, of opposition to the truth, even of apostasy in the church?