Churches
The Christian Church is a term that can refer to either an association of people or an individual place of worship. Some denominations of Christianity make a clear distinction between the invisible and the visible church, the former of which refers to a person or group of people in the presence of God regardless of their physical location. In common everyday language however, a Church refers to a specific building or place of worship within the Christian religion.
A church is a building or other structure that exists primarily for the use of Christians to meet and worship God. People of the Christian faith originally used to meet in homes and synagogues, however, as the religion grew throughout the ages, people started building dedicated church structures. Churches are primarily used for the worship of God, however, they can also be used to hold community meetings, marriages, funerals, and many other uses indirectly related to the worship of Christ. There are a number of beautiful and famous churches around the world, with some providing the best examples of the architecture of a specific time period and culture.
While the architecture of churches can take a number of different forms, there are a few common shapes that have been used throughout the ages. Perhaps the most recognised shape of a church building is the Christian cross with a long central rectangle, side rectangles, and front alter rectangle. This is the shape used in many cathedrals and large traditional churches throughout Europe. Other common shapes used in Churches include circles and octagonal structures, and tall tower ‘spires’. Churches exist in all shapes and sizes however, with the size and scale normally relating to the churches’ specific location and the size of the community that worships there.
The Christian Church originated in the first century AD, and grew over the next few hundred years in terms of both community and dedicated buildings of worship. The word church comes from the Greek term ekklesia, that literally means gathering or assembly. Since the birth of Christianity, there have been many splits within the religion, with new denominations often building new structures in which to worship their version of God.
Churches often play an important role within individual Christian communities, with many also performing other duties like raising money for charity organisations or helping out disadvantaged members of the community. The Christian church and the buildings that help to define it have been a major influence on western culture and society for over 2000 years now, and will continue to have an impact in the centuries ahead.