Difference between revisions of "Church"
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| − | See [[Church history and denominations]] | + | [[Image:Church_sm.gif|right]] |
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| + | A church building is a building used in Christian worship. The term church also refers to the combined Christian community of believers or ''body of Christ''. | ||
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| + | The word "church" is derived through Middle and Old English cirice, circe from the Greek κυριακον (δωμα) Lord's (house). However, most English versions of the New Testament use the word "church" to translate ecclesia (Greek ἐκκλησία "congregation, assembly", a word originally used without specific reference to religious gatherings). | ||
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| + | In English, the word can be used in reference to a gathering of people for a religious meeting, but is sometimes used to refer to a building or group of buildings. It is also used to refer to a denomination that places the leadership of all congregations in a central location, such as the "Roman Catholic Church". It can also be used in an institutional sense to refer to all churches, such as "... the church today...." | ||
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| + | See [[Church history and denominations]], [[An introduction to the Church]], [[Bible Dictionary: Church]] and [[Wikipedia's article on Church]] | ||
Revision as of 23:54, 21 May 2005
A church building is a building used in Christian worship. The term church also refers to the combined Christian community of believers or body of Christ.
The word "church" is derived through Middle and Old English cirice, circe from the Greek κυριακον (δωμα) Lord's (house). However, most English versions of the New Testament use the word "church" to translate ecclesia (Greek ἐκκλησία "congregation, assembly", a word originally used without specific reference to religious gatherings).
In English, the word can be used in reference to a gathering of people for a religious meeting, but is sometimes used to refer to a building or group of buildings. It is also used to refer to a denomination that places the leadership of all congregations in a central location, such as the "Roman Catholic Church". It can also be used in an institutional sense to refer to all churches, such as "... the church today...."
See Church history and denominations, An introduction to the Church, Bible Dictionary: Church and Wikipedia's article on Church
