Skip to Content
On This Page

denominational responsibility

Denominational responsibility is a principle of imposition of liability based on the "ecclesiastical control" (as opposed to civil or secular forms of control) that a religious institution exerts.

Additional Information


The principle of denominational responsibility may impose liability on a religious institution when it uses ecclesiastical control to expressly place (or deny) responsibility to a certain group within the institution. Ecclesiastical control involves consent or adherence to religious doctrine, unlike more secular forms of control. For example, a religious institution could be found liable for the misconduct of an individual minister if it exerts ecclesiastical control by forming a "board of ministry" specifically aimed at guiding and supervising the ministers' behavior according to the institution's spiritual purpose and beliefs.