[1] It was abolished in response to arguments for separation of church and state and the Bureau of Shrines and Temples taking over much of its functions.
However, the Great Teaching Institute did not achieve much due to serious conflicts of opinion between the Shintoists, who were then up-and-coming, and the Jodo Shinshu, who had maintained their old power.
In the midst of such confusion, Buddhist forces, which had been outnumbered by the Shinbutsu bunri, supported the Meiji Restoration, especially the Defeat the Shogunate Movement [ja] However, the Ikkō-shū led to a growing opposition to the government from within the Jōdo Shinshu sect, and the Ministry's measures ran into a deadlock.
When the Ministry's measures ran into a deadlock, the Jodo Shinshu movement withdrew from the organization from the standpoint of separation of church and state.
The Great Teaching Institute, which was the national governing body for the Ministry of Religion, was established within Zojoji Temple in Shiba, Tokyo.