Matthew 16:18
"I also say to you that you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build My church; and the gates of Hades will not overpower it.
Church = ekklesia, special gathering or assembly.
The actual word church is derived from kyridakon - which points back to the word lord.
In essence the church has become our new lord, a power structure. So the "church" today is not very scriptual in this respect and does LORD over us doesn't it?
What are your thoughts?
2007-11-06 00:46:14 · 5 answers · asked by Emperor Insania Says Bye! 5 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
"Church, n. [Sax. Circe, circ or cyric; Scots, kirk, which retains the Saxon pronunciation; D. Kerk; G. Kirche; Se. Kyrchia; Dan. Kirke; Gr. Kuriokon, a temple of God, from kuriakos, pertaining to a Lord, or to our Lord Jesus Christ, from kurios, a Lord; Russ. Tzerkou.] .1 A house consecrated to the worship of God, among christians; the Lord's house. This seems to be the original meaning of the word. The Greek ekklesia, from ekkalew, to call out or call together, denotes an assembly or collection. But kuriakos, kuriakon, are from kurios, Lord, a term applied by the early christians to Jesus Christ; and the house in which they worshipped was named from that title. So kuriaka signifies church goods, bona ecclesiastica; kuriakh, sc hmera, the Lord's day, dies dominica. 2. The collective body of christians, or of those who profess to believe in Christ, and acknowledge him to be the Savior of mankind. In this sense, the church is sometimes the Catholic or Universal Church. Johnson Enclyce.
2007-11-06 00:46:43 · update #1
3. A particular number of christians, united under one form of ecclesiastical government, in one creed, and using the same ritual or ceremonies; as the English church; the Gallican church; the Presbyterian church; the Romish church; the Greek church."
2007-11-06 00:46:52 · update #2
Source:
http://www.tentmaker.org/Dew/Dew2/D2-CirceDaughterOfTheSun.html
2007-11-06 00:47:39 · update #3
Now now... protestant churches have a hiearchy too and small independant churches emulate a power structure that lords itself over people too.
Not all but many.
2007-11-06 01:18:51 · update #4
Which church are you talking about? The Catholic one? Because, if you are, then I would agree - the Catholic hierarchy is all over the world, involved in world governments (albeit very quietly). Did you know that the Catholic church leaders gave Hitler some funding while he was in power? Nice, huh?
If you mean the church as it is laid out in the New Testament, however, then I would disagree. That is the way churches are supposed to be - full of saved people, striving to live for the Lord. We are supposed to treat our fellow believers like family, they are our brothers and sisters. It isn't supposed to be someone lording it over the others - it is supposed to be the pastor looking out for us and heading things up (in humility and a teachable spirit) and Jesus being Lord of all. It isn't a power structure or a business (I was in a church for a while that was run like a business - it sucked). It is a family with Jesus as the Head of the family and the pastor acting as an overseer or a shepherd - NOT the final authority!
2007-11-06 01:16:26 · answer #1 · answered by Blue Eyed Christian 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I suppose you'd have to say that the church, at least the local church, is a community of its own. When you say The Church, that's the hierarchy, and is generally a Catholic way of saying it. They are thinking of the Vatican. But for protestants, the most significant use of the word "church" is the building they go to on Sundays and the people who are there in community with them. They refer to the central ritual as "taking communion," for example.
2007-11-06 08:59:56 · answer #2 · answered by auntb93 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You should read the parable of the wheat and the tares. It talks about the thing called commonly Christianity. What you get is the real wheat mixed in with the tares. God knows His own, and they know Him. There will be a time, when the superficially religious tares will be separated and burned and the true wheat gathered unto God's house.
2007-11-06 08:55:49 · answer #3 · answered by Mutations Killed Darwin Fish 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Well I know our church has its flaws as all churches has some too, but our church does not rule. God rules our church.
2007-11-06 08:55:31 · answer #4 · answered by iwant_u2_wantme2000 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You are presenting Catholocism, and Protestants are protesters against that teaching.
2007-11-06 08:54:00 · answer #5 · answered by oldguy63 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋