Where did this word "church" come from?

It comes from an old Scottish word "kirk" or "kirke" (pronounced keer-kay. This word in turn comes from a Babylonian word "circe" (pronounced seer-say). The Babylonians worshipped the sun and Circe was one of the names they used for their sun god. From this word we get English words like circle, circumference, circumstance, circular, circumspection, etc.

This word was adopted into old Scottish when Christianity was introduced to the British Isles. Druidism was the pagan religion of the British Isles and they worshipped in a circle, eg: Stone Henge. In order to make Christianity more palatible this word "church" was used and a circle was used in worship services.

What's funny is that today people think of a church as a building. "Let's go to church", they say. In sense you cannot go to church because you are the church. (I will discuss this in another post.)

From Ekklesia meaning local visible body......I agree with your last statement......I have never liked let's go to church either.....

In a sense it's no different than calling a building a synagogue.

Nothing to get all theological about.

We all have a tendency to talk over our own heads from time to time...……..needs prayer for me and for all also.

Is that a type of domestic dog in your avatar or is that some wild animal. I love it..

<--- Borg Corgi

That "The Church" is not the same as "a church" is not some new revelation.
A word can have more than one meaning. So going to church is still valid. "A" and "the" are commonly used to make a distinction between two similar yet different focuses.
The antichrist and an antichrist are not the same, so does that mean one negates the other, or can both terms exist?

Some scholars derive the word from Medieval Greek "kyriokón" - a neuter form of 'kyiakós'; 'belonging to the lord'.

The problem is that the word in English, as well as other Germanic languages and many Celtic languages, have an obvious root word that predates a Medieval Greek loan word by hundreds, if not thousands, of years.

Old English has circe (pronounced 'CHIR-cheh), cognate to Dutch 'kerk', German 'Kirche' and Old Norse 'kirkja' (from which the modern Scots gets 'kerk' -Scotland (as well as Man) was ruled by the Norse for quite a few years).

The root word actually means 'circle' - with respect to 'church', a cultural 'leftover', if you will, from pre-Christian traditions of the Germanic and Celtic people where the place of worship was typically in a sacred circle. Since these people already had a name for a place of worship, with the introduction of Christianity, there was no need to 'reinvent the wheel'. An older word for a particular concept was used for a very similar new concept - happens all the time in languages.

With respect to 'Circe', there's absolutely zero connection to, or loan word from, Babylonian in the modern Germanic words for "church"; this is a false etymology.

The true church is not reckoned as visible. What we are (male and female Jew and Gentile) is not what we will be as new creatures .We walk by faith the unseen and not as if the Kingdom of God was of this world and it came by observation .

The word church replaces the name God named his people, Christian. The word Christian which literally meaning residents of the city of God in respect to her founder (Christ) as the city prepared ad Christ's bride has all but lost it true meaning to be reckoned with the spiritual house of God, not seen not made with human hands but rather made of many lively stones.

1 Peter 2:5 Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.

The church is not known after flesh and blood as if it was flesh and blood we wrestle against.

Not even going the argue the nature of the word and the fact it is LOCAL AND VISIBLE....<--Assembly

There was no need to bring "Babylonian" into the equation to muddy the waters.
Church

Origin
Old English cir(i)ce, cyr(i)ce, related to Dutch kerk and German Kirche, based on medieval Greek kurikon, from Greek kuriakon (dōma ) ‘Lord's (house),’ from kurios ‘master or lord.’ Compare with kirk.

So we really need to go back to the Greek, which is perfectly in accordance with "church" (the Lord's house) as used in the KJB (or other Bibles). The Greek word ekklesia (assembly of called out ones) has consistently been translated as "church", but it does not mean the building. Rather the gathering or assembly of saints within any building.

At the same time, Christians need to be clear that (1) there are churches (plural) in Scripture, meaning local assemblies, generally one church per city and (2) the Church, which is the Body, the Bride, and the Building of Christ, consisting of all those redeemed by the blood of the Lamb, both Jews and Gentiles. All those who come to church meetings are not necessarily within "the Church" (born-again Christians).

The Church was a Mystery, hidden from the OT prophets and revealed to the apostle Paul. Furthermore, the Church is a distinct entity from Israel, or more precisely redeemed and restored Israel, which means that Replacement Theology is false.

Please see my new post "What does "church" really mean?

HELPS Word-studies
1577 ekklēsía(from 1537 /ek, "out from and to" and 2564 /kaléō, "to call") – properly, people called out from the world and to God, the outcome being the Church (the mystical body of Christ) – i.e. the universal (total) body of believers whom God calls out from the world and into His eternal kingdom.

[The English word "church" comes from the Greek word kyriakos, "belonging to the Lord" (kyrios). 1577 /ekklēsía ("church") is the root of the terms "ecclesiology" and "ecclesiastical

Please see my new post "WHAT DOES "CHURCH" REALLY MEAN?".

What I posted is what the church really means:

properly, people called out from the world and to God, the outcome being the Church (the mystical body of Christ) – i.e. the universal (total) body of believers whom God calls out from the world and into His eternal kingdom.

That's why I included the literal definition.

Jesus used the word "ekklesia" saying, "I will build my ekklesia/church and the gates of Hades will not prevail against it.

d...,

Incorrect. One person cannot be the church.
G-d says where there are two are more assembled.......there i will be also.

Most here speak English so we communicate in English.

The original word for the people who believed when they gather, especially for worship, would be the English equivalent to the Assembly……….we are the Body also, same.

As for the English equvalent of the place built for the assembly that would be the Tabernacle.

Jews go to the synagogue, interesting for this word is from the Greek.

Church is simply what is intended to be the Tabernacle, and there is nothing wrong with the word unless you have decided it means the archaic definitions…..not necessary.

You most likely use the word for our Maker as God, and I do also for convenience's sake, but this word goes back as far as Sanskrit where its previous meaning is lost to linguists……. is god a bad word for our Maker? It only depends on the heart and intention of each of His creatures.

I have posted all of this strictly as a share of unimportand facts…….what is reas is all done in faith, and only God knows the hearts of men.

Bottom line, this should not be an issue if thought negative……..

She according to the rule for identifying people with name places, as the literal definition that God name His bride, Christians...is defined as residents of the city of Christ the new Jerusalem. Christ our husband her founder. She is prepared as the wife of Christ the church .She is reckoned as the mother of us all. Spoken of in the dream given to Josef. We bow down to her seed. Christ.The bloody husband spoken of in Exodus to represent the ceremonial law of circumcision as shadow of the sufferings of Christ beforehand

Yes visible, reckoned as invisible made up of many lively stones, the spiritual unseen eternal. And not after the temporal as that seen.

While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.2 Corinthians 4:18

We walk by faith the unseen eternal and not by sight after that seen the temporal

1 Peter 2:4-6 King James Version (KJV)To whom coming, as unto a living stone, disallowed indeed of men, but chosen of God, and precious, Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ. Wherefore also it is contained in the scripture, Behold, I lay in Sion a chief corner stone, elect, precious: and he that believeth on him shall not be confounded.

If I say 'the horse' is that one universal, invisible horse?

You would think it would be the one down the road... or representing all horses plural.

Same with 'the car' 'the bar'

So 'the church'... is like this.

Ecclessia.. a local and visible assembly. And a Christian church is an assembly of saved baptised believers.

One day all believers will be assembled as one in heaven as the heavenly church. Still though.. local and visible
Check every reference to church in the bible. Where is it of a universal invisible sense?

Hello Wattie,

The ekklesia/church, is a specific group which the Lord initiated. Once the Lord appears and gathers the church, that will be the end the church period. In Matt.16:18 the Lord said, "I will build My church, and the gates of Hades will not prevail against it." The words "I will build" are in the future tense, which means that the church did not exist prior to Christ's initiation of it. To be clear, neither Israel, nor the great tribulation saints belong to the church.