The problem here is the inclusion of the word other which implies that the Church is a civic institution. However, the word other is used because the formula is more-or-less fixed: than any other X is commonly heard, probably more often than than any X.
The Church does share some of the aspects of a civic institution because it does the work of one: it alleviates poverty and provides assistance to those in need. In some countries it provides facilities which are provided by the State elsewhere: social care, hospitals, orphanages, education and so on. Does this make it a civic institution? Possibly, if you define civic to mean for the citizen or something similar.
Thus, if one considers the geography where the Church is most active in providing those services, it probably does class as a civic institution. It may sound odd to those in countries where Church and State are constitutionally separated or where the government customarily provides such social support.
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