Church

:This article is about the Christian buildings of worship. For other uses of the word, see Church (disambiguation).

Etymology

The word "church" is derived through Middle and Old English

Related Topics:
Middle - Old English

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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).

Related Topics:
Greek - New Testament - Ecclesia - ἐκκλησία

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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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Although the Christian Bible says that the church is actually the body of believers, in Jewish times, the temple at Jerusalem held the presence of God in a place called the Holy of Holies. After the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, the Bible says that the Holy Spirit / presence of God dwells within each believer.

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