Word of the Week
Church
The word “Church” actually has two sources from the Greek language. The first, kuriakon, means “…belonging to the Lord” and the second, ekklesia [which literally means “called out”], refers to an assembly of people.
We use both meanings when we employ the word, as we speak both of the building that belongs to the Lord and the people who inhabit and make use of that building.
Interestingly, when the word "Church" is found in scripture, it is ekklesia, as the early Christians did not conceive of the Church being anything other than a collection of people. The fact that it would one day refer also to a building would probably surprise them.
The word “Church” actually has two sources from the Greek language. The first, kuriakon, means “…belonging to the Lord” and the second, ekklesia [which literally means “called out”], refers to an assembly of people.
We use both meanings when we employ the word, as we speak both of the building that belongs to the Lord and the people who inhabit and make use of that building.
Interestingly, when the word "Church" is found in scripture, it is ekklesia, as the early Christians did not conceive of the Church being anything other than a collection of people. The fact that it would one day refer also to a building would probably surprise them.
posted by Vicar at 5:48 AM
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