Part of the series on Christianity

History of Christianity Apostles Ecumenical councils Great Schism Reformation Beliefs Though enormous diversity exists in the beliefs of those who self-identify as Christian, it is possible to venture general statements which describe the beliefs of a large majority . ... image of a Latin cross. ... This article outlines the history of Christianity and provides links to relevant topics. ... The Twelve Apostles (in Koine Greek απόστολος apostolos [1], someone sent forth/sent out, an emissary) were probably Galilean Jewish men (10 names are Aramaic, 4 names are Greek) chosen from among the disciples, who were sent forth by Jesus of Nazareth... In Catholicism and Eastern Orthodoxy, an ecumenical council or general council is a meeting of the bishops of the whole church convened to discuss and settle matters of Church doctrine and practice. ... The East-West Schism, known also as the Great Schism (though this latter term sometimes refers to the later Western Schism), was the event that divided Chalcedonian Christianity into Western Catholicism and Eastern Orthodoxy. ... The Protestant Reformation was a movement which emerged in the 16th century as a series of attempts to reform the Roman Catholic Church in Western Europe. ...

The Trinity God the Father Christ the Son The Holy Spirit The Christian doctrine of the Trinity states that God is a single being who exists, simultaneously and eternally, as a communion of three Persons: the Father, the Son (the eternal Logos, incarnate as Jesus of Nazareth), and the Holy Spirit. ... In many religions, the supreme God is given the title and attributions of Father. ... Christ is the English representation of the Greek word Χριστός (transliterated as Khristós), which means anointed. ... Jesus, also known as Jesus of Nazareth, is the central figure of Christianity, in which context he is known as Jesus Christ (from the Greek Ιησούς Χριστός ; transliteration: Iesous Christos). He is also an important prophet in Islam. ... In various religions, most notably Christianity, the Holy Spirit (also called the Holy Ghost in Trinitarian Christianity; is the third Person of the Holy Trinity. ...

The Bible Old Testament New Testament Apocrypha The Gospels Ten Commandments Sermon on the Mount The Bible (From Greek βιβλια—biblia, meaning books, which in turn is derived from βυβλος—byblos meaning papyrus, from the ancient Phoenician city of Byblos which exported papyrus) is the sacred scripture of Christianity. ... Judaism uses the term Tanakh instead of Old Testament, because it does not recognize the New Testament as being part of the Biblical canon The Old Testament or the Hebrew Scriptures (also called the Hebrew Bible) constitutes the first major part of the Bible according to Christianity. ... The New Testament, sometimes called the Greek Testament or Greek Scriptures, is the name given to the part of the Christian Bible that was written after the birth of Jesus. ... Apocrypha is a Greek word (απόκρυφα, neuter plural of απόκρυφος), from αποκρυπτειν, to hide away. ... For the genre of Christian-themed music, see gospel music. ... The Ten Commandments on a monument in the grounds of the Texas State Capitol This 1768 parchment (612x502 mm) by Jekuthiel Sofer emulated 1675 decalogue at the Esnoga synagogue of Amsterdam The Ten Commandments, or Decalogue, is a list of religious and moral imperatives which, according to the Bible, was... The Sermon on the Mount by Carl Heinrich Bloch. ...

Christian theology Salvation · Grace Christian worship Christian theology practices theology from a Christian viewpoint or studies Christianity theologically. ... Salvation refers to deliverance from an undesirable state or condition. ... Divine grace is believed by Christians to be the sovereign favour of God exercised in the bestowment of blessings upon those who have no merit in them. ... In Christianity, worship has been considered by most Christians to be the central act of Christian identity throughout Christian history. ...

Christian Church Catholicism Orthodox Christianity Protestantism The term Christian Church expresses the idea that organised Christianity (the Christian religion) is seen as an institution. ... This article considers Catholicism in the broadest ecclesiastical sense. ... Orthodox Christianity is a generalized reference to the Eastern traditions of Christianity, as opposed to the Western traditions which descend from the Catholic Church. ... Protestantism is a movement within Christianity, representing a split from within the Roman Catholic Church during the mid-to-late Renaissance in Europe —a period known as the Protestant Reformation. ... Christian denominations Christian movements Christian ecumenism A denomination, in the Christian sense of the word, is an identifiable religious body, organization under a common name, structure, and/or doctrine. ... Christian movements are theological, political, or philosophical intepretations of Christianity that are not generally represented by a specific church, sect, or denomination. ... Christian ecumenism is the promotion of unity or cooperation between distinct religious groups or denominations of the Christian religion, more or less broadly defined. ...

A church building (or simply church) is a building used in Christian worship. See also altar, altar rails, apse, confessional, dome, lych gate, nave, narthex, pew, pulpit, sanctuary. Beliefs Though enormous diversity exists in the beliefs of those who self-identify as Christian, it is possible to venture general statements which describe the beliefs of a large majority . ... An ancient Roman altar An altar is any structure upon which sacrifices or other offerings are offered for religious purposes. ... A set of altar rails in a Dublin Church. ... This article is about an architectural feature; for the astronomical term see apsis. ... Confessional is a small, enclosed area used for a Roman Catholic confession. ... St Peters Basilica, Rome A dome is a common structural element of architecture that resembles the hollow upper half of a sphere. ... A lych gate (from Old English lic, corpse) is a gateway covered with a roof, found at the entrance to a church yard. ... Full descriptions of the elements of a Gothic floorplan are found at the entry Cathedral diagram. ... The narthex of a church is the entrance or lobby area. ... Pews in rows in a church A pew is a long bench used for seating of a church congregation. ... For other uses of Ambo, see Ambo, Ethiopia and ambulance. ... Sanctuary has multiple meanings. ...

Etymology

The Memorial Church at Stanford University.

The word church is derived through Middle and Old English cirice, circe from the Greek κυριακον "Lord's (house)". However, most English versions of the New Testament use the word church to translate ecclesia, in Greek ἐκκλησία, literally "the called out" referring to those who are saved and not to a religious assembly. The Scots and Scottish English word kirk has a related etymology and is a cognate. Picture of the Stanford University Memorial Church, taken by myself on August 27, 2004. ... Picture of the Stanford University Memorial Church, taken by myself on August 27, 2004. ... For other meanings of Stanford, see Stanford (disambiguation). ... Middle English is the name given by historical linguistics to the diverse forms of the English language spoken between the Norman invasion in 1066 and the mid-to-late 15th century, when the Chancery Standard, a form of London-based English, began to become widespread, a process aided by the... Old English (also called Anglo-Saxon) is an early form of the English language that was spoken in parts of what is now England and southern Scotland between the mid-fifth century and the mid-twelfth century. ... The New Testament, sometimes called the Greek Testament or Greek Scriptures, is the name given to the part of the Christian Bible that was written after the birth of Jesus. ... Ecclesia can refer to: Ecclesia (sociology of religion) Ecclesia (ancient Athens) This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share the same title. ... The ecclesia or ekklesia was the principal assembly of the democracy of ancient Athens. ... Scots or Lallans (Eng: Lowlands), often Lowland Scots to distinguish it from the Scottish Gaelic language of the highlands, is a West Germanic language used in Scotland, parts of Northern Ireland, and border areas of the Republic of Ireland, where it is known in official circles as Ulster Scots or... Diagram showing the geographical locations of selected languages and dialects of the British Isles. ... Kirk can mean several things: As a common noun, kirk is the Scots and Scottish English word for church, attested as a noun from the 14th century onwards, but as an element in placenames much earlier. ... Etymology is the study of the origins of words. ... Cognates are words that have a common origin. ...

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"; in this context it is usually capitalized. It can also be used in an institutional sense to refer to all churches, such as "the church today".

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 (the presence of God) dwells within each believer.

Origins of Christian places of worship

The architecture of Christian worship space grew out of the regular meetings of the followers of Christianity in private houses and synagogues, and occasionally in catacombs when necessary. When either the size of the community outgrew the space or the complexity of the uses of the space outpaced the architectural adaptation of houses, buildings began to be built specifically for worship. This became much more feasible and common when Constantine stopped the Roman persecution of Christians by issuing the Edict of Milan in 313. House church is an informal term for a group of Christians gathering regularly or spontaneously in a home instead of a building dedicated to the purpose. ... A synagogue i wasnt here or synagog (from Greek συναγωγη, transliterated sunagoge, place of assembly literally meeting, assembly) is a Jewish house of prayer and study. ... The word catacomb comes from Greek kata kumbas (L. ad catacumbas), near the low place and originally it meant a certain burial district in Rome. ... Constantine. ... The Edict of Milan (AD 313) declared that the Roman Empire would be neutral with regard to religious worship, officially ending all government-sanctioned persecution, especially of Christianity. ...

In the first century

The first Christians were, like Jesus, Jews resident in Palestine who worshipped on occasion in the Temple in Jerusalem and weekly in local synagogues. Temple worship was a ritual involving sacrifice, occasionally including the sacrifice of animals in atonement for sin, offered to Yahweh. The New testament includes many references to Jesus visiting the Temple, the first time as an infant with his parents. Jesus, also known as Jesus of Nazareth, is the central figure of Christianity, in which context he is known as Jesus Christ (from the Greek Ιησούς Χριστός ; transliteration: Iesous Christos). He is also an important prophet in Islam. ... The Temple in Jerusalem or the Holy Temple (Beit HaMikdash בית המקדש in Hebrew) was built in ancient Jerusalem and was the center of Israelite and Jewish worship, primarily for the offering of sacrifices known as the korbanot. ... The Tetragrammaton in Phoenician (1100 BC to 300 CE), Aramaic (10th Century BC to 0) and modern Hebrew scripts. ... The New Testament, sometimes called the Greek Testament or Greek Scriptures, is the name given to the part of the Christian Bible that was written after the birth of Jesus. ...

The early history of the synagogue is controverted, but it seems to be an institution developed for public Jewish worship during the Babylonian captivity when the Jews did not have access to the Jerusalem Temple for ritual sacrifice. Instead, to give a rough summary, they developed a daily and weekly service of readings from the Torah or the prophets followed by commentary. This could be carried out in a house if the attendance was small enough, and in many towns of the Diaspora that was the case. In others more elaborate architectural settings developed, sometimes by converting a house and sometimes by converting a previously public building. The minimum requirements seem to have been a meeting room with adequate seating, a case for the Torah scrolls, and a raised platform for the reader and preacher. Main article: Jew Jewish religion Etymology of Jew  · Who is a Jew? Jewish leadership  · Jewish culture Jewish ethnic divisions Ashkenazi (German and E. Europe) Mizrahi (Arab and Oriental) Sephardi (Iberian) Temani (Yemenite)  · Beta Israel Jewish populations Germany  · France  · Latin America Britain  · Famous Jews by country Jewish languages Hebrew: (Biblical / Modern... Torah (תורה) is a Hebrew word meaning teaching, instruction, or law. ... Look up Diaspora in Wiktionary, the free dictionary The term diaspora (Ancient Greek διασπορά, a scattering or sowing of seeds) is used (without capitalization) to refer to any people or ethnic population forced or induced to leave their traditional ethnic homelands; being dispersed throughout...

The Église des Réformés in Marseille

Jesus himself participated in this sort of service as a reader and commentator (see Gospel of Luke 4: 16-24) and his followers probably remained worshippers in synagogues in some cities. However, following the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem in 70, the new Christian movement and Judaism increasingly parted ways. The Church became overwhelmingly Gentile sometime in the second century. Image File history File links Download high resolution version (768x1024, 281 KB)The Église des Réformés church in central Marseille, France. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (768x1024, 281 KB)The Église des Réformés church in central Marseille, France. ... City motto: Actibus immensis urbs fulget Massiliensis. ... The Gospel of Luke is the third of the four canonical Gospels of the New Testament, which tell the story of Jesus life, death, and resurrection. ... The Temple in Jerusalem or the Holy Temple (Beit HaMikdash בית המקדש in Hebrew) was built in ancient Jerusalem and was the center of Israelite and Jewish worship, primarily for the offering of sacrifices known as the korbanot. ... Centuries: 1st century BC - 1st century - 2nd century Decades: 20s 30s 40s 50s 60s - 70s - 80s 90s 100s 110s 120s Years: 65 66 67 68 69 - 70 - 71 72 73 74 75 Events The building of the Colosseum starts (approximate date). ...

For the history of how services take place within a church, see worship or do a search on any particular religious denomination that you might be interested in. Worship usually refers to specific acts of religious praise, honour, or devotion, typically directed to a supernatural being such as a god or goddess. ... A religious denomination, (also simply denomination) is a large, long-established subgroup within a religion that has been in existence for many years. ...

Early examples of church architecture

Lärbro church at Gotland

The Syrian city of Dura-Europos on the West bank of the Euphrates was an outpost town between the Roman and Parthian empires. During a siege by Parthian troops in A.D. 257 the buildings in the outermost blocks of the city grid were partially destroyed and filled with rubble to reinforce the city wall. Thus were preserved and securely dated the earliest decorated church and a synagogue decorated with extensive wall paintings. Both had been converted from earlier private buildings. Image File history File links PD image, from Swedish Wikipedia File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Image File history File links PD image, from Swedish Wikipedia File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Dura-Europos (Fort Europos) was a Hellenistic and Roman walled city built on an escarpment 90 meters above the banks of the Euphrates river. ... The Roman Empire is the term conventionally used to describe the Ancient Roman polity in the centuries following its reorganization under the leadership of Octavian (better known as Caesar Augustus), until its radical reformation in what was later to be known as the Byzantine Empire. ... Reproduction of a Parthian warrior as depicted on Trajans Column The Parthian Empire was the dominating force on the Iranian plateau beginning in the late 3rd century BCE, and intermittently controlled Mesopotamia between ca 190 BCE and 224 CE. Origins Bust of Parthian soldier, Esgh-abad Museum, Turkmenia. ... The defensive wall of Braşov, Romania. ... A synagogue i wasnt here or synagog (from Greek συναγωγη, transliterated sunagoge, place of assembly literally meeting, assembly) is a Jewish house of prayer and study. ...

The church at Dura Europos has a special room dedicated for baptisms with a large baptismal font. Baptismal font in Magdeburg Cathedral, Germany A baptismal font is an article of church furniture used for the baptism of children and adults. ...

A common architecture for churches is the shape of a cross (a long central rectangle, with side rectangles, and a rectangle in front for the altar space or sanctuary). These churches also often have a dome or other large vaulted space in the interior to represent or draw attention to the heavens. Other common shapes for churches include a circle, to represent eternity, or an octagon or similar star shape, to represent the church's bringing light to the world. Another common feature is the spire, a tall tower on the "west" end of the church or over the crossing.

See also

St Martha's, in Tarascon

• Separation of church and state
• Hagia Sophia
• Eucharist
• Baptism
• Liturgy
• Nicene Creed
• Apostles' Creed
• List of tallest church towers
• List of churches

• Places of worship

Image File history File links Download high resolution version (614x819, 79 KB) This file has been listed on Wikipedia:Images and media for deletion. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (614x819, 79 KB) This file has been listed on Wikipedia:Images and media for deletion. ... Tarascon Castle from front. ... The separation of church and state is a concept and philosophy in modern thought and practice, whereby the structures of the state or national government are proposed as needing to be separate from those of religious institutions. ... Hagia Sophia as it appears today A plan of the original architecture of Hagia Sophia, the great church Part of the interior of Hagia Sophi as it was when built. ... The Eucharist is the rite that Christians perform in fulfillment of Jesus instruction, recorded in the New Testament, to do in memory of him what he did at his Last Supper. ... Baptism is a water purification ritual practiced in certain religions such as Christianity, Mandaeanism, and Sikhism, and has its origins with the Jewish ritual of mikvah. ... From the Greek word λειτουργια, which can be transliterated as leitourgia, meaning the work of the people, a liturgy comprises a prescribed religious ceremony, according to the traditions of a particular religion; it may refer to, or include, an elaborate formal ritual (such as the Catholic Mass), a daily activity such... Icon depicting the Holy Fathers of the First Council of Nicaea holding the Nicene Creed. ... The Apostles Creed (in Latin, Symbolum (Credo) Apostolicum), is an early statement of Christian belief, possibly from the first or second century, but more likely post-Nicene Creed in the early 4th Century AD. The theological specifics of the creed appear to be a refutation of Gnosticism, an early heresy. ... Until the advent of the skyscraper, Christian churches were some of the tallest buildings in the world. ... This is a list of churches in the physical sense, that are not already in the list of cathedrals or list of basilicas. ... Places of worship are buildings or other locations where religious persons may worship their deity, regularly or not. ...

Compare

• Basilica
• Cathedral
• Monastery
• Temple
• Chapel
• Parish
• Particular church
• House church
• Stave church
• Church in a pub
• Storefront church
• Double Church

The Basilica of St. ... A cathedral is a Christian church building, specifically of a denomination with an episcopal hierarchy (such as the Roman Catholic Church or the Lutheran or Anglican churches), which serves as the central church of a bishopric. ... A monastery is the habitation of monks, derived from the Greek word for a hermits cell. ... The word temple has different meanings in the fields of architecture, religion, geography, anatomy, and education. ... A chapel is a private church, usually small and often attached to a larger institution such as a college, a hospital, a palace, or a prison. ... A parish is a type of administrative subdivision. ... A Particular Church , in Roman Catholic theology and canon law, is any of the individual constituent ecclesial communities in full communion with the Church of Rome and thus make up the Catholic Communion. ... House church is an informal term for a group of Christians gathering regularly or spontaneously in a home instead of a building dedicated to the purpose. ... Urnes stave church in Luster, listed as a world heritage site by UNESCO A stave church is a medieval wooden church with a post and beam construction related to timber framing. ... A Church in a Pub is a Christian Church which meets in a public house or similar establishment. ... Double Churches are buildings with two separated churches. ...

External links

• Orthodox Art and Architecture
• The Church
• The Syrian Orthodox Church
• The Coptic Orthodox Church of Egypt