Ecclesiastical crime is the term used to refer to crimes (Delictum) related to the clergy where the crime is against canon law

Canon law

Canon law is the body of laws & regulations made or adopted by ecclesiastical authority, for the government of the Christian organization and its members. It is the internal ecclesiastical law governing the Catholic Church , the Eastern and Oriental Orthodox churches, and the Anglican Communion of...

. Compare Civil law

Civil law (legal system)

Civil law is a legal system inspired by Roman law and whose primary feature is that laws are codified into collections, as compared to common law systems that gives great precedential weight to common law on the principle that it is unfair to treat similar facts differently on different...

.

The crime of Simony

Simony

Simony is the act of paying for sacraments and consequently for holy offices or for positions in the hierarchy of a church, named after Simon Magus , who appears in the Acts of the Apostles 8:9-24...

 is the ecclesiastical crime of paying for offices or positions in the hierarchy of a church. The crimes of Schism

Schism (religion)

A schism , from Greek σχίσμα, skhísma , is a division between people, usually belonging to an organization or movement religious denomination. The word is most frequently applied to a break of communion between two sections of Christianity that were previously a single body, or to a division within...

 and Heresy

Heresy

Heresy is a controversial or novel change to a system of beliefs, especially a religion, that conflicts with established dogma. It is distinct from apostasy, which is the formal denunciation of one's religion, principles or cause, and blasphemy, which is irreverence toward religion...

 are also ecclesiastical crimes.

Older examples include "perjury", the breaking of a promissory oath (contractual promises made by oath or pledge of faith), and this was treated as an ecclesiastical crime. Some crimes have or have had both an ecclesiastical and a civil element to the crime; suicide and witches are counted here.

Financial and donation related

The term is also specifically used today for misappropriation of donation monies. In the International Bulletin of Missionary Research, January 2009, David B. Barrett, Todd M. Johnson, Peter F Crossing, study titled, Christian World Communions: Five Overviews of Global Christianity, AD 1800–2025 they show that "Ecclesiastical crime" is growing at 5.77% per annum and in mid-2009 is estimated to be USD$ 27 billion on a total "Giving to Christian causes" of USD$ 410 Billion. Unchecked this crime will be valued at USD$ 65 Billion by 2025

See also

• Ecclesiastical courts
• Ecclesiastical ordinances
  Ecclesiastical ordinances
  Ecclesiastical ordinances are the bylaws of a Christian religious organization, especially that of a diocese or province of a church. They are used in the Anglican Communion, particularly the American Episcopal Church and Roman Catholic Church....
  
  
• Canon law
  Canon law
  Canon law is the body of laws & regulations made or adopted by ecclesiastical authority, for the government of the Christian organization and its members. It is the internal ecclesiastical law governing the Catholic Church , the Eastern and Oriental Orthodox churches, and the Anglican Communion of...
  
  
• Sacrament of Penance