The “People of God”

Etymology of the Word “Church”

     The English word “Church” is a corruption of the Greek word kuriakon, meaning “the Lord’s house,” from kyrios,(Lord). French, Spanish, Italian and all of the Romance languages use variations of the Latin word for Church, ecclesia, itself from the Greek ekklhsia ( ekklesia), a pre-Christian word for an assembly (for example, an assembly of Greek citizens gathered together in a Council). Christians adopted the word early on based on the Septuagint’s use of the word ekklesia to translate the Hebrew word קהל ( qahal), the assembly of ancient Israel in the presence of God in the tabernacle.

In the Old Testament

     Since Old Testament times, God always had a people or society on the earth whereby His decrees were made manifest and His will acted out on the earth. Such were the people of Israel under the Old Covenant bound by the Law of Moses. Under this Law was initiated the entire Old Covenant economy of sacrifice and Temple worship. 

For Discussion: The People of God, Israel, the Church, the Mystical Body of Christ, the Church as Invisible and Visible, the Marks of thew Church (One, Holy, Catholic and Apstotolic), the Church's relationship and history with Israel, Unity and Diversity- East and West, Wounds to the Body of Christ, Heresies and Dissent, the Great Schism, the Great Protest, the Ecumenical Movement