is the collective term used to describe the relationships among the national, state, and local governments that claim a piece of the overall sovereignty.

Answer is federalism.

Explanation:

This is a type of government where power is shared or divided among the national, state and local levels.. Each of the claim to have full right and power to govern itself, this is known as sovereignty.

In a nut shell, the state and local levels suppose to be autonomous , but they are still be governed or controlled in some aspects by the national level.

because he was a christian?