Church (building)

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John's Lane Church, aGothic Revival Catholic church in Dublin, Ireland.

A church building, often simply called a church, is a building used for religious
activities, particularly worship services. The term in its architectural sense is most
often used by Christians to refer to their religious buildings; they can be used by
other religions.[1] In traditionalChristian architecture, the church is often arranged in
the shape of a Christian cross. When viewed from plan view the longest part of a
cross is represented by the aisle and the junction of the cross is located at the altar
area.

La Madeleine, a Neoclassical, Catholic church in Paris, France.

The Church of Saint Simeon Stylites in Aleppo, Syria is considered to be one of the
oldest surviving church buildings in the world.
Towers or domes are often added with the intention of directing the eye of the
viewer towards the heavens and inspiring church visitors. Modern church buildings
have a variety of architectural styles and layouts; many buildings that were
designed for other purposes have now been converted for church use; and,
similarly, many original church buildings have been put to other uses.
The earliest identified Christian church was a house church founded between 233
and 256. During the 11th through 14th centuries, a wave of building
of cathedrals and smaller parish churches occurred across Western Europe.
A cathedral is a church, usually Roman Catholic, Anglican,Oriental
Orthodox or Eastern Orthodox, housing the seat of a bishop.
Contents
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1Etymology

2History
o

2.1Antiquity

2.2Medieval times

3Architecture

4Types
o

4.1Basilica

4.2Cathedral

4.3Alternative buildings

5See also

6References

7Bibliography

8External links

Etymology[edit]

Evangelical (Lutheran) church intrba (Slovakia) - a typical village church in Europe.

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In Greek, the adjective kyriak-s/-/-n means "belonging, or pertaining, to a Krios"
("Lord"), and the usage was adopted byearly Christians of the Eastern
Mediterranean with regard to anything pertaining to the Lord Jesus Christ: hence
"Kyriaks okos" ("house of the Lord", church), "Kyriak" ("[the day] of the Lord",
i.e. Sunday), or "Kyriak proseukh" (the "[Lord's prayer]").
In standard Greek usage, the older word "ecclesia" (, ekklesa, literally
"assembly", "congregation", or the place where such a gathering occurs) was
retained to signify both a specific edifice of Christian worship (a "church"), and the
overall community of the faithful (the "Church"). This usage was also retained
in Latin and the languages derived from Latin (e.g. French glise, Italian chiesa,
Spanish iglesia, Portuguese igreja, etc.), as well as in the Celtic
languages (Welsh eglwys, Irish eaglais, Breton iliz, etc.) and in Turkish (kilise).
In the Germanic and some Slavic languages, the word kyriak-s/-/-n was adopted
instead and derivatives formed thereof. In Old English the sequence of derivation
started as "cirice" (Ki-ri-keh), then "churche" (kerke), and eventually "church" in its
current pronunciation. German Kirche, Scottish kirk, Russian (tserkov),
etc., are all similarly derived.
History[edit]
Antiquity[edit]
According to the New Testament, the earliest Christians did not build church
buildings. Instead, they gathered in homes (Acts 17:5, 20:20, 1 Cor 16:19) or in
Jewish worship places like the Second Temple or synagogues (Acts 2:46, 19:8). The
earliest archeologically identified Christian church is a house church, the DuraEuropos church, founded between 233 and 256.[2]

Medieval times[edit]

The Frauenkirche in Munich is a largely Gothic, medieval church.

During the 11th through 14th centuries, a wave of building of cathedrals and
smaller parish churches occurred across Western Europe. In addition to being a
place of worship, the cathedral or parish church was used by the community in
other ways. It could serve as a meeting place for guilds or a hall
for banquets. Mystery plays were sometimes performed in cathedrals, and
cathedrals might also be used forfairs. The church could be used as a place to
thresh and store grain.[3]
Architecture[edit]
Main article: Church architecture
A common architecture for churches is the shape of a cross (a long central
rectangle, with side rectangles, and a rectangle in front for thealtar 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.
Types[edit]

Central nave of St. Peter and St. Paul's Church, Vilnius, Lithuania looking north-east
towards the altar. An example of a Baroque church interior.
Basilica[edit]

Main article: Basilica

The Latin word basilica (derived from Greek, Basilik Sto, Royal Stoa) was originally
used to describe a Roman public building (as in Greece, mainly a tribunal), usually
located in the forum of a Roman town.[4][5]
After the Roman Empire became officially Christian, the term came by extension to
refer to a large and important church that has been given special ceremonial rights
by the Pope. Thus the word retains two senses today, one architectural and the
other ecclesiastical.
Cathedral[edit]

Norwich Cathedral in England is an example of a Cathedral complex built during

the Middle Ages.
Main article: Architecture of cathedrals and great churches

Saint Basil's Cathedral inMoscow, Russia (today a museum) is a famous and

characteristic example of aRussian Orthodox Churchbuilding.

A cathedral is a church, usually Roman Catholic, Anglican, Oriental

Orthodox or Eastern Orthodox, housing the seat of a bishop. The word cathedral
takes its name from cathedra, or Bishop's Throne (In Latin: ecclesia cathedralis).
The term is sometimes (improperly) used to refer to any church of great size.
A church that has the function of cathedral is not necessarily a large building. It
might be as small as Christ Church Cathedral in Oxford, England, Sacred Heart
Cathedral in Raleigh, United States, or Chur Cathedral inSwitzerland. However,
frequently, the cathedral along with some of the abbey churches, was the largest
buildingin any region.
Alternative buildings[edit]
Old and disused church buildings can be seen as an interesting proposition for
developers as the architecture and location often provide for attractive homes [6][7] or
city centre entertainment venues[8] On the other hand, many newer Churches have
decided to host meetings in public buildings such as schools, [9] universities,
[10]
cinemas[11] or theatres.[12]
There is another trend to convert old buildings for worship rather than face the
construction costs and planning difficulties of a new build. Unusual venues in the UK
include an old Tram power station, [13] a former bus garage,[14] an old cinema
and bingo hall,[15] a former Territorial Army Drill Hall,[16] a former synagogue[17] and
a windmill.
There has been an increase in partnerships between church management and
private real estate companies to redevelop church properties into mixed uses. While
it has garnered criticism from some, the partnership offers congregations the
opportunity to increase revenue while preserving the property. [18]