History--language quiz...What is the Greek work translated as the English word "Church" and what does it mean?

Question

Before Christianity exsited. Let's say way back in the early days of Greece what did the word mean that we say as Church in the English language?

Just a fun question...thanks.

Oh come on it was NOT A RELIGIOUS TERM until Christianity.

Answer 1

You are right, ekklesia ("εκκλησία") was NOT A RELIGIOUS TERM until Christianity.
It meant "an assembly of the citizens regularly summoned, the legislative assembly", from ekklêtos, ("έκκλητος") "selected to judge or arbitrate" and that from the verb ekkaleo ("εκκαλέω") "to call out or forth, summon forth"

Henry George Liddell, Robert Scott, "A Greek-English Lexicon", in Perseus Project:

http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/cgi-bin/ptext?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.04.0058%3Aentry%3D%2310101

http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/cgi-bin/resolveform


In addition, the word "church" derives from Greek as well:

http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/church
.

Answer 2

ekklesia == An assembly of people. I believe, not sure of this one, in the LXX the assembly of the 12 tribes was referred to by the word ekklesia. The first occurrence of the word in Acts is 5:11

edit-- Correct In classical Greek it did not have a religious connotation.

edit -- I was correct it was used in the LXX in Psalm 21:23
Which is Psalm 22:22 the english Bible.

Answer 3

G1577
ἐκκλησία
ekklēsia
ek-klay-see'-ah
From a compound of G1537 and a derivative of G2564; a calling out, that is, (concretely) a popular meeting, especially a religious congregation (Jewish synagogue, or Christian community of members on earth or saints in heaven or both): - assembly, church.

Answer 4

I'm just guessing,but I think the word,"church" means a gathering.

Answer 5

I don't know Greek but:
cuerpo = body= church

Answer 6

ἐκκλησία
ekklēsia
ehk-klee-SEE-ah
Just say "called out ones"
I Cr 13;8a

Answer 7

ecclesia- from it comes the Romance word for Church.

The greek word for the building is naos-temple.