Following the creation of the Ministry of Divinities, a mere six months later its name was changed to kyobusho (Ministry of Religion) in order to disseminate further the Imperial Edict (of 1870) for the Establishment of Shinto through the efforts of the senkyoshi (Shinto missionaries) who had been established in the final days of the Department of Divinities; the religious services of the Imperial Court were separated from this Ministry's jurisdiction and placed under the control of the shikiburyo (Bureau of Rites) of the Imperial Household Agency.
その後、神祇官末期に設置された宣教使による大教宣布を強化するために、わずか半年で教部省に改称され、宮中祭祀は分離されて宮内省式部寮に移されることとなった。