Vacant seminary gets expression of approval from church council (5)
I believe the answer is:
synod
'church council' is the definition.
(I've seen this before)
'vacant seminary gets expression of approval' is the wordplay.
'vacant' suggests removing the centre.
'gets' means one lot of letters go next to another.
'expression of approval' becomes 'nod' (I am not sure about this - if you are sure you should give a lot more credence to this answer).
'seminary' with its middle taken out is 'sy'.
'sy'+'nod'='SYNOD'
'from' is the link.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for synod that I've seen before include "group of clergymen" , "Ecclesiastical council" , "council meeting" , "Assembly of the clergy" , "Ecclesiastical assembly" .)