[a. F. christianisme, or its original, L. christiānism-us, a. Gr. χριστιανισμ-ός Christianity.]
1. The Christian religious system; Christianity. Obs. (exc. as a nonce-wd., when christianity is classed with other -isms.)
1576. Woolton, Chr. Manual (1851), 93. The godly make no difference of meats in respect to salvation: for they know right well that Christianism consisteth not therein.
1590. Greenwood, Answ. Def. Read Prayers, 35. The Church may professe Christianisme and Antichristianisme, both at a tymne.
1649. Milton, Eikon., i. Herein the worst of Kings, professing Christianism, have … exceeded him.
1677. Gale, Crt. Gentiles, II. III. 73. Converted from Judaisme to Christianisme.
1685. Boyle, Enq. Notion Nat., 352. Philosophers, who preceded Christianism.
1801–15. Fuseli, Lect. Art, xii. (1848), 552. That Christianism was inimical to the progress of arts.
1840. Carlyle, Heroes, i. We inquire … What religion they had? Was it Heathenism?… Was it Christianism?
2. In a depreciatory or contemptuous sense: A Christianity of a sort or form.
1674. R. Godfrey, Inj. & Ab. Physic, 178. The Heathenish Christianism, and deceit of the Doctors.
1855. I. Taylor, Restor. Belief, 247. The easy, overweening, and egotistic Christianism of Christian people.
1875. Contemp. Rev., XXVI. 987. Poor, thin, maundering—we were going to call it chlorotic Christianism.
1883. W. H. Wynn, in Homil. Monthly, Aug., 618. Christianism—if I may invent that term—is but making a sun-picture of the love of God.
