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A church, church building, or church house is a building used for Christian worship services and other Christian religious activities. The earliest identified Christian church is a house church founded between 233 and 256.^[1]

Sometimes, the word church is used by analogy and simplicity for the buildings of other religions, such as mosques and synagogues.^[2]^[3] Church is also used to describe a body or an assembly of Christian believers, while "the Church" may be used to refer to the worldwide Christian religious community as a whole.^[4]

In traditional Christian architecture, the plan view of a church often forms a Christian cross with the center aisle and seating representing the vertical beam and the bema and altar forming the horizontal. Towers or domes may inspire contemplation of the heavens. Modern churches have a variety of architectural styles and layouts. Some buildings designed for other purposes have been converted to churches, while many original church buildings have been put to other uses. From the eleventh through the fourteenth centuries, there was a wave of church construction in Western Europe.

Many churches worldwide are of considerable historical, national, cultural, and architectural significance, with several recognized as UNESCO World Heritage Sites.^[5]

Etymology

*Cyrican* is an Old English word for churches and church property

The word church is derived from Old English cirice, 'place of assemblage set aside for Christian worship', from the Proto-Germanic kirika. This was probably borrowed via the Gothic from the Greek kyriake (oikia), kyriakon doma, 'the Lord's (house)', from kyrios, 'ruler, lord'. Kyrios in turn comes from the Proto-Indo-European language root *keue meaning 'to swell'.

The Greek kyriakon, 'of the Lord', was used of houses of Christian worship since c. AD 300, especially in the East, although it was less common in this sense than ekklesia or basilike.^[6]

History

Antiquity

South facade of the Church of Saint Simeon Stylites in Aleppo, Syria, is considered to be one of the oldest surviving church buildings in the world

The earliest archeologically identified Christian church is a house church (domus ecclesiae), the Dura-Europos church, founded between 233 and 256.^[7]

In the second half of the third century AD, the first purpose-built halls for Christian worship (aula ecclesiae) began to be constructed. Although many of these were destroyed early in the next century during the Diocletianic Persecution. Even larger and more elaborate churches began to appear during the reign of Emperor Constantine the Great.^[8]

Medieval times

From the eleventh through the fourteenth centuries, a wave of cathedral building and the construction of smaller parish churches occurred across Western Europe. Besides serving as a place of worship, the cathedral or parish church was frequently employed as a general gathering place by the communities in which they were located, hosting such events as guild meetings, banquets, mystery plays, and fairs. Church grounds and buildings were also used for the threshing and storage of grain.^[9]

Romanesque architecture

Between 1000 and 1200, the Romanesque style became popular across Europe. The Romanesque style is defined by large and bulky edifices typically composed of simple, compact, sparsely decorated geometric structures. Frequent features of the Romanesque church include circular arches, round or octagonal towers, and cushion capitals on pillars. In the early Romanesque era, coffering on the ceiling was fashionable, while later in the same era, groined vaults gained popularity. Interiors widened, and the motifs of sculptures took on more epic traits and themes.^[10]

Gothic architecture

The Cathedral of Ani, one of the founders of the Gothic style of architecture.

The Frauenkirche in Munich is a largely Gothic, medieval church.

The Gothic style emerged around 1140 in Île-de-France and subsequently spread throughout Europe. Gothic churches lost the compact qualities of the Romanesque era, and decorations often contained symbolic and allegorical features. The first pointed arches, rib vaults, and buttresses began to appear, all possessing geometric properties that reduced the need for large, rigid walls to ensure structural stability. This also permitted the size of windows to increase, producing brighter and lighter interiors. Nave ceilings rose, and pillars and steeples heightened. Many architects used these developments to push the limits of structural possibility, an inclination that resulted in the collapse of several towers whose designs that had unwittingly exceeded the boundaries of soundness. In Germany, the Netherlands, and Spain, it became popular to build hall churches, a style in which every vault would be built to the same height.

Gothic cathedrals were lavishly designed, as in the Romanesque era, and many share Romanesque traits. However, several also exhibit unprecedented degrees of detail and complexity in decoration. The Notre-Dame de Paris and Notre-Dame de Reims in France, as well as the San Francesco d’Assisi in Palermo, the Salisbury Cathedral and Wool Church in England, and Santhome Church in Chennai, India, show the elaborate stylings characteristic of Gothic cathedrals.

Some of the most well-known gothic churches remained unfinished for centuries after the style fell out of popularity. One such example is the construction of the Cologne Cathedral, which began in 1248, was halted in 1473, and was not resumed until 1842.^[11]

Renaissance

In the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries, the changes in ethics and society due to the Renaissance and the Reformation also influenced the building of churches. The common style was much like the Gothic style but simplified. The basilica was not the most popular type of church anymore, but instead, hall churches were built. Typical features are columns and classical capitals.^[12]

In Protestant churches, where the proclamation of God's Word is of particular importance, the visitor's line of sight is directed towards the pulpit.

Baroque architecture

Central nave of the Church of St. Peter and St. Paul, Vilnius, Lithuania, an example of a Baroque church interior

The Baroque style was first used in Italy around 1575. From there, it spread to the rest of Europe and the European colonies. The building industry increased heavily during the Baroque era. Buildings, even churches, were used to indicate wealth, authority, and influence. The use of forms known from the Renaissance was extremely exaggerated. Domes and capitals were decorated with moulding, and the former stucco sculptures were replaced by fresco paintings on the ceilings. For the first time, churches were seen as one connected work of art, and consistent artistic concepts were developed. Instead of long buildings, more central-plan buildings were created. The sprawling decoration with floral ornamentation and mythological motives lasted until about 1720 in the Rococo era.^[13]

The Protestant parishes preferred lateral^{[clarification needed]} churches, in which all the visitors could be as close as possible to the pulpit and the altar.^{[citation needed]}

Architecture

The view of the spire of Norwich Cathedral from the cloisters, in Norfolk, England

A common trait of the architecture of many churches is the shape of a cross^[14] (a long central rectangle, with side rectangles and a rectangle in front for the altar space or sanctuary). These churches also often have a dome or other large vaulted space in the interior to represent or draw attention to the heavens. Other common shapes for churches include a circle, to represent eternity, or an octagon or similar star shape, to represent the church's bringing light to the world. Another common feature is the spire, a tall tower at the "west" end of the church or over the crossing.^{[citation needed]}

Another common feature of many Christian churches is the eastwards orientation of the front altar.^[15] Often, the altar will not be oriented due east but toward the sunrise.^{[clarification needed]} This tradition originated in Byzantium in the fourth century and became prevalent in the West in the eighth and ninth centuries. The old Roman custom of having the altar at the west end and the entrance at the east was sometimes followed as late as the eleventh century, even in areas of northern Europe under Frankish rule, as seen in Petershausen (Constance), Bamberg Cathedral, Augsburg Cathedral, Regensburg Cathedral, and Hildesheim Cathedral.^[16]

Types

Basilica

The Latin word basilica was initially used to describe a Roman public building usually located in the forum of a Roman town.^[17]^[18] After the Roman Empire became officially Christian, the term came by extension to refer to a large and influential church that has been given special ceremonial rights by the Pope.^[19] The word thus retains two senses today, one architectural and the other ecclesiastical.

Cathedral

A cathedral is a church, usually Catholic, Anglican, Oriental Orthodox or Eastern Orthodox, housing the seat of a bishop. The word cathedral takes its name from cathedra, or Bishop's Throne (In Template:Lang-la). The term is sometimes (improperly) used to refer to any church of great size.

A church with a cathedral function is not necessarily a large building. It might be as small as Christ Church Cathedral in Oxford, England, Porvoo Cathedral in Porvoo, Finland, Sacred Heart Cathedral in Raleigh, United States, or Chur Cathedral in Switzerland. However, frequently, the cathedral, along with some of the abbey churches, was the largest building in any region.

cathedrals tend to display a higher level of contemporary architectural style and the work of accomplished craftsmen, and occupy a status both ecclesiastical and social that an ordinary parish church rarely has. Such churches are generally among the finest buildings locally and a source of national and regional pride,^[20] and many are among the world's most renowned works of architecture.^[21]

Chapel

Either, a discrete space with an altar inside a larger cathedral, conventual, parish, or other church; or, a free standing small church building or room not connected to a larger church, to serve a particular hospital, school, university, prison, private household, or other institution. Often proprietary churches and small conventual churches are referred to by this term.

Collegiate church

A collegiate church is a church where the daily office of worship is maintained by a college of canons, which may be presided over by a dean or provost. Collegiate churches were often supported by extensive lands held by the church, or by tithe income from appropriated benefices. They commonly provide distinct spaces for congregational worship and for the choir offices of their clerical community.

Conventual church

A conventual church (in Eastern Orthodoxy katholikon) is the main church in a Christian monastery, known variously as an abbey, a priory, a convent, a friary, or a preceptory.

Parish church

A parish church is a church built to meet the needs of people localised in a geographical area called a parish. The vast majority of Catholic, Orthodox, Anglican, and Lutheran church buildings fall into this category. A parish church may also be a basilica, a cathedral, a conventual or collegiate church, or a place of pilgrimage. The vast majority of parish churches do not however enjoy such privileges.

In addition to a parish church, each parish may maintain auxiliary organizations and their facilities such as a rectory, parish hall, parochial school, or convent, frequently located on the same campus or adjacent to the church.

Pilgrimage church

A pilgrimage church is a church to which pilgrimages are regularly made, or a church along a pilgrimage route, often located at the tomb of a saints, or holding icons or relics to which miraculous properties are ascribed, the site of Marian apparitions, etc.

Proprietary church

During the Middle Ages, a proprietary church was a church, abbey, or cloister built on the private grounds of a feudal lord, over which he retained proprietary interests.

Evangelical church structures

The architecture of evangelical places of worship is mainly characterized by its sobriety.^[22]^[23] The Latin cross is a well known Christian symbol that can usually be seen on the building of an evangelical church and that identifies the place's belonging.^[24]^[25] Some services take place in theaters, schools or multipurpose rooms, rented for Sunday only.^[26]^[27]^[28] There is usually a baptistery at the front of the church (in what is known as the chancel in historic traditions) or in a separate room for baptisms by immersion.^[29]^[30]

Worship services take on impressive proportions in the megachurches (churches where more than 2,000 people gather every Sunday). In some of these megachurches, more than 10,000 people gather every Sunday. The term gigachurch is sometimes used.^[31]^[32] For example, Lakewood Church (United States) or Yoido Full Gospel Church (South Korea).^[33]

House church

In some countries of the world which apply sharia or communism, government authorizations for worship are complex for Christians.^[34]^[35]^[36] Because of persecution of Christians, Evangelical house churches have thus developed.^[37] For example, there is the Evangelical house churches in China movement.^[38] The meetings thus take place in private houses, in secret and in "illegality".^[39]

Alternative buildings

Old and disused church buildings can be seen as an interesting proposition for developers as the architecture and location often provide for attractive homes^[40] or city centre entertainment venues.^[41] On the other hand, many newer churches have decided to host meetings in public buildings such as schools,^[42] universities,^[43] cinemas^[44] or theatres.^[45]

There is another trend to convert old buildings for worship rather than face the construction costs and planning difficulties of a new build. Unusual venues in the UK include a former tram power station,^[46] a former bus garage,^[47] a former cinema and bingo hall,^[48] a former Territorial Army drill hall,^[49] and a former synagogue.^[50] HMS Tees served as a floating church for mariners at Liverpool from 1827 until she sank in 1872.^[51] A windmill has also been converted into a church at Reigate Heath.

There have been increased partnerships between church management and private real estate companies to redevelop church properties into mixed uses. While it has garnered criticism, the partnership allows congregations to increase revenue while preserving the property.^[52]

Geographical distribution

Church of the Holy Sepulchre is considered the most important church in all of Christendom.^[53]

Aside from Saudi Arabia and the Maldives, all sovereign states and dependent territories worldwide possess church buildings, although both of these countries also host secret home churches.^[54] Afghanistan has the fewest churches globally, with only one official church: the Our Lady of Divine Providence Chapel in Kabul.^[55] Somalia follows closely, which once housed the Mogadishu Cathedral,^[56] along with Saint Anthony of Padua Church in Somaliland.^[57]

In contrast, some estimates suggest that the United States has the has the highest number of churches in the world, with around 380,000,^[58] followed by Brazil and Italy.^[59] According to the Future for Religious Heritage, there are over 500,000 churches across Europe.^[60] Several cities are commonly known as the "City of Churches" due to their abundance of churches. These cities include Adelaide,^[61] Ani,^[62] Ayacucho,^[63] Kraków,^[64] Moscow,^[65] Montreal,^[66] Naples,^[67] Ohrid,^[68] Prague, Querétaro, Rome,^[69] Salzburg, and Vilnius.

Despite the prohibition on constructing churches in Saudi Arabia, the country is home to the remnants of a historic church known as the Jubail Church, which dates back to the fourth century and was affiliated with the Church of the East.^[70] Discovered in 1986, the site was excavated by the Saudi Antiquities Department in 1987. As of 2008, the findings from this excavation had not been published, reflecting sensitivities regarding artifacts from non-Islamic religions.^[70]

Many churches worldwide are of considerable historical, national, cultural, and architectural significance, with several recognized as UNESCO World Heritage Sites.^[71]

References

^ Snyder, Graydon F. (2003). Ante Pacem: Archaeological Evidence of Church Life Before Constantine. Mercer University Press. p. 128.
^ Use of the term "The Manichaean Church" Archived 3 May 2015 at the Wayback Machine, Encyclopædia Britannica
^ "The term church is found, but not specifically defined, in the Internal Revenue Code (IRC). The term is not used by all faiths; however, in an attempt to make this publication easy to read, we use it in its generic sense as a place of worship including, for example, mosques and synagogues." [1] Archived 7 April 2019 at the Wayback Machine, US IRS Tax Guide for Churches & Religious Organizations
^ "Church | Definition, History, & Types | Britannica". 22 June 2023. Archived from the original on 12 January 2019. Retrieved 21 July 2021.
^ Tsivolas, Theodosios (2014). Law and Religious Cultural Heritage in Europe. Springer International Publishing. p. 3-4. ISBN 9783319079325.
^ "Church". Online Etymology Dictionary. Archived from the original on 31 July 2016. Retrieved 8 August 2016.
^ Snyder, Graydon F. (2003). Ante Pacem: Archaeological Evidence of Church Life Before Constantine. Mercer University Press. p. 128.
^ Hartog, Paul, ed. (February 2010). The Contemporary Church and the Early Church: Case Studies in Ressourcement. Pickwick Publications. ISBN 978-1606088999. (Chapter 3)
^ Levy. Cathedrals and the Church. p. 12.
^ Toman, Rolf (30 April 2015). Romanesque: Architecture, Sculpture, Painting. h.f.ullmann. ISBN 9783848008407.
^ Frankl, Paul; Crossley, Paul (2000). Gothic Architecture. Yale University Press. ISBN 0300087993.
^ Anderson, Christy (28 February 2013). Renaissance Architecture. OUP Oxford. ISBN 9780192842275.
^ Merz, Jörg Martin (2008). Pietro Da Cortona and Roman Baroque Architecture. Yale University Press. ISBN 978-0300111231.
^ Petit, John Louis (1841). Remarks on Church Architecture ... J. Burns.
^ "The Institute for Sacred Architecture | Articles | Sacred Places: The Significance of the Church Building". www.sacredarchitecture.org. Archived from the original on 16 August 2017. Retrieved 16 August 2017.
^ Heinrich Otte, Handbuch der kirchlichen Kunst-Archäologie des deutschen Mittelalters (Leipzig 1868), p. 12
^ The Oxford Dictionary of Christian Art and Architecture (2013 ISBN 978-0-19968027-6), p. 117
^ "The Institute for Sacred Architecture - Articles- The Eschatological Dimension of Church Architecture". Archived from the original on 9 February 2022. Retrieved 8 April 2016.
^ "basilica | Etymology, origin and meaning of basilica by etymonline". www.etymonline.com. Archived from the original on 17 August 2023. Retrieved 17 August 2023.
^ Batsford and Fry, 1-3
^ Richard Utz. "The Cathedral as Time Machine: Art, Architecture, and Religion." In: The Idea of the Gothic Cathedral. Interdisciplinary Perspectives on the Meanings of the Medieval Edifice in the Modern Period, ed. Stephanie Glaser (Turnhout: Brepols, 2018). pp. 239–59.
^ Peter W. Williams, Houses of God: Region, Religion, and Architecture in the United States, University of Illinois Press, USA, 2000, p. 125
^ Murray Dempster, Byron D. Klaus, Douglas Petersen, The Globalization of Pentecostalism: A Religion Made to Travel, Wipf and Stock Publishers, USA, 2011, p. 210
^ Mark A. Lamport, Encyclopedia of Christianity in the Global South, Volume 2, Rowman & Littlefield, USA, 2018, p. 32
^ Anne C. Loveland, Otis B. Wheeler, From Meetinghouse to Megachurch: A Material and Cultural History, University of Missouri Press, USA, 2003, p. 149
^ Annabelle Caillou, Vivre grâce aux dons et au bénévolat Archived 6 November 2020 at the Wayback Machine, ledevoir.com, Canada, 10 November 2018
^ Helmuth Berking, Silke Steets, Jochen Schwenk, Religious Pluralism and the City: Inquiries into Postsecular Urbanism, Bloomsbury Publishing, UK, 2018, p. 78
^ George Thomas Kurian, Mark A. Lamport, Encyclopedia of Christianity in the United States, Volume 5, Rowman & Littlefield, USA, 2016, p. 1359
^ William H. Brackney, Historical Dictionary of the Baptists, Scarecrow Press, USA, 2009, p. 61
^ Wade Clark Roof, Contemporary American Religion, Volume 1, Macmillan, UK, 2000, p. 49
^ Sam Hey, Megachurches: Origins, Ministry, and Prospects, Wipf and Stock Publishers, USA, 2013, p. 265.
^ Ed Stetzer, Megachurch Research - Terminology Archived 16 May 2021 at the Wayback Machine, christianitytoday.com, USA, October 9, 2008.
^ Alicia Budich, From Megachurch to "Gigachurch", cbsnews.com, USA, April 6, 2012.
^ Erwin Fahlbusch, Geoffrey William Bromiley, The Encyclopedia of Christianity, Volume 4, Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing, USA, 2005, p. 163.
^ Yves Mamou, Yves Mamou: «Les persécutions de chrétiens ont lieu en majorité dans des pays musulmans» Archived 11 January 2021 at the Wayback Machine, lefigaro.fr, France, March 20, 2019
^ Wesley Rahn, In Xi we trust - Is China cracking down on Christianity? Archived 20 February 2021 at the Wayback Machine, dw.com, Germany, January 19, 2018
^ Allan Heaton Anderson, An Introduction to Pentecostalism: Global Charismatic Christianity, Cambridge University Press, UK, 2013, p. 104.
^ Brian Stiller, Evangelicals Around the World: A Global Handbook for the 21st Century, Thomas Nelson, USA, 2015, p. 328
^ Mark A. Lamport, Encyclopedia of Christianity in the Global South, Volume 2, Rowman & Littlefield, USA, 2018, p. 364.
^ Alexander, Lucy (14 December 2007). "Church conversions". The Times. London. Archived from the original on 1 May 2009. Retrieved 30 April 2010.
^ Site design and technology by Lightmaker.com. "quality food and drink". Pitcher and Piano. Archived from the original on 31 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2011.
^ "Welcome to the Family Church Christchurch Dorset". The Family Church Christchurch. Archived from the original on 20 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2011.
^ "Welcome to The Hope Church, Manchester... A Newfrontiers Church based in Salford, Greater Manchester UK". The-hope.org.uk. Archived from the original on 2 February 2010. Retrieved 18 October 2011.
^ "Jubilee Church London". jubileechurchlondon.org. Archived from the original on 27 December 2010. Retrieved 23 December 2010.
^ "Welcome to Hillsong Church". Hillsong Church UK. Archived from the original on 27 November 2016. Retrieved 25 November 2016.
^ "CITY CHURCH NEWCASTLE & GATESHEAD – enjoying God...making friends...changing lives – Welcome". City-church.co.uk. Archived from the original on 6 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2011.
^ "Aylsham Community Church". Aylsham Community Church. Archived from the original on 13 September 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2011.
^ Hall, Reg (2004). Things are different now: A short history of Winchester Family Church. Winchester: Winchester Family Church. p. 11.
^ "ABOUT". www.barnabascommunitychurch.com. Archived from the original on 20 December 2016. Retrieved 5 December 2016.
^ "Where We Meet". City Church Sheffield. Archived from the original on 20 December 2016. Retrieved 5 December 2016.
^ "Local and General". Leeds Mercury. No. 10660. Leeds. 10 June 1872.
^ Friedman, Robyn A. "Churches Redeveloping Properties to Give Them New Life". The Wall Street Journal. ISSN 0099-9660. Archived from the original on 13 July 2017. Retrieved 23 October 2015.
^ Holt, Andrew (2019). The World of the Crusades: A Daily Life Encyclopedia [2 volumes]. ABC-CLIO. p. 57. ISBN 9781440854620. was housed in the most important church in Christendom, the Church of the Holy Sepulchre.
^ Kurian, George (2015). A Quick Look at Christian History: A Chronological Timeline Through the Centuries. Harvest House Publishers. p. 187-188. ISBN 9780736953795.
^ Stancati, Margherita (18 March 2013). "Afghan Church Endures Amid War and Strife". Wall Street Journal. ISSN 0099-9660. Retrieved 31 May 2016.
^ Giovanni Tebaldi (2001). Consolata Missionaries in the World (1901-2001). Paulines. p. 127. ISBN 9789966210234. Retrieved 6 April 2014.
^ Somaliland's only Catholic church closed days after re-opening due to 'public pressures 'Archived 26 September 2020 at the Wayback Machine
^ Randall, Rebecca (14 September 2017). "How Many Churches Does America Have? More Than Expected". Christianity Today.
^ von Sinner, Rudolf (2012). The Churches and Democracy in Brazil: Towards a Public Theology Focused on Citizenship. Wipf and Stock Publishers. p. 59. ISBN 9781630877279.
^ "Religious buildings are part of Europe's heritage. They should be part of its future". The Guardian. 29 October 2018.
^ "Religion: Diversity". Archived from the original on 10 August 2013. Retrieved 15 November 2013.
^ Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911), "Ani" , Encyclopædia Britannica, vol. 2 (11th ed.), Cambridge University Press, p. 47
^ Klaiber, Jeffrey (1 September 2009). The Church, Dictatorships, and Democracy in Latin America. Wipf and Stock Publishers. ISBN 9781606089477.
^ Józef Szymon Wroński (2007), Kościoły Krakowa (The churches of Kraków). Archidiecezja Krakowska. Retrieved 23 December 2012. (in Polish)
^ Khazanov, Anatoly M. (28 June 2008). "onlinelibrary.wiley.com". City & Society. 10. onlinelibrary.wiley.com: 269–314. doi:10.1525/city.1998.10.1.269. S2CID 145807994.
^ "Notre-Dame de Paris fire: How safe are Montreal's heritage churches?". Archived from the original on 18 January 2021. Retrieved 13 March 2021.
^ "Naples". Red Travel. 8 January 2008. Archived from the original on 3 March 2012.
^ Biljana Vankovska; Hakan Wiberg; Wiberg Hakan (2003). Between Past and Future: Civil-military Relations in the Post-communist Balkans. Bloomsbury Academic. p. 71. ISBN 978-1-86064-624-9.
^ Clarke, Stuardt. "The Churches of Rome: Major and Minor". Stuardt Clarkes Rome. Archived from the original on 8 February 2012. Retrieved 26 January 2012.
^ ^a ^b Carter, R.A. (2008). "Christianity in the Gulf during the first centuries of Islam". Arabian Archaeology and Epigraphy. 19 (1): 71–108. doi:10.1111/j.1600-0471.2008.00293.x. ISSN 0905-7196.
^ Tsivolas, Theodosios (2014). Law and Religious Cultural Heritage in Europe. Springer International Publishing. p. 3-4. ISBN 9783319079325.

Bibliography

Levy, Patricia (2004). Cathedrals and the Church. Medieval World. North Mankato, MN: Smart Apple Media. ISBN 1-58340-572-0.
Krieger, Herman (1998). Churches ad hoc. PhotoZone Press. ISBN 9780966580969.
Erlande-Brandenburg, Alain, Qu'est-ce qu'une église ?, Gallimard, Paris, 333 p., 2010.
Gendry Mickael, L'église, un héritage de Rome, Essai sur les principes et méthodes de l'architecture chrétienne, Religions et Spiritualité, collection Beaux-Arts architecture religion, édition Harmattan 2009, 267 p.

External links

New Advent Catholic Encyclopedia – Ecclesiastical Buildings
New Advent Catholic Encyclopedia – The Church
Prairie Churches Documentary produced by Prairie Public Television
Iowa Places of Worship Documentary produced by Iowa Public Television
Herbermann, Charles, ed. (1913). "Ecclesiastical Buildings" . Catholic Encyclopedia. New York: Robert Appleton Company.

[1] Snyder, Graydon F. (2003). Ante Pacem: Archaeological Evidence of Church Life Before Constantine. Mercer University Press. p. 128.

[2] Use of the term "The Manichaean Church" Archived 3 May 2015 at the Wayback Machine, Encyclopædia Britannica

[3] "The term church is found, but not specifically defined, in the Internal Revenue Code (IRC). The term is not used by all faiths; however, in an attempt to make this publication easy to read, we use it in its generic sense as a place of worship including, for example, mosques and synagogues." [1] Archived 7 April 2019 at the Wayback Machine, US IRS Tax Guide for Churches & Religious Organizations

[4] "Church | Definition, History, & Types | Britannica". 22 June 2023. Archived from the original on 12 January 2019. Retrieved 21 July 2021.

[5] Tsivolas, Theodosios (2014). Law and Religious Cultural Heritage in Europe. Springer International Publishing. p. 3-4. ISBN 9783319079325.

[OEtymDChurch-6] "Church". Online Etymology Dictionary. Archived from the original on 31 July 2016. Retrieved 8 August 2016.

[7] Snyder, Graydon F. (2003). Ante Pacem: Archaeological Evidence of Church Life Before Constantine. Mercer University Press. p. 128.

[8] Hartog, Paul, ed. (February 2010). The Contemporary Church and the Early Church: Case Studies in Ressourcement. Pickwick Publications. ISBN 978-1606088999. (Chapter 3)

[9] Levy. Cathedrals and the Church. p. 12.

[10] Toman, Rolf (30 April 2015). Romanesque: Architecture, Sculpture, Painting. h.f.ullmann. ISBN 9783848008407.

[11] Frankl, Paul; Crossley, Paul (2000). Gothic Architecture. Yale University Press. ISBN 0300087993.

[12] Anderson, Christy (28 February 2013). Renaissance Architecture. OUP Oxford. ISBN 9780192842275.

[13] Merz, Jörg Martin (2008). Pietro Da Cortona and Roman Baroque Architecture. Yale University Press. ISBN 978-0300111231.

[14] Petit, John Louis (1841). Remarks on Church Architecture ... J. Burns.

[15] "The Institute for Sacred Architecture | Articles | Sacred Places: The Significance of the Church Building". www.sacredarchitecture.org. Archived from the original on 16 August 2017. Retrieved 16 August 2017.

[16] Heinrich Otte, Handbuch der kirchlichen Kunst-Archäologie des deutschen Mittelalters (Leipzig 1868), p. 12

[OXFORD1-17] The Oxford Dictionary of Christian Art and Architecture (2013 ISBN 978-0-19968027-6), p. 117

[18] "The Institute for Sacred Architecture - Articles- The Eschatological Dimension of Church Architecture". Archived from the original on 9 February 2022. Retrieved 8 April 2016.

[19] "basilica | Etymology, origin and meaning of basilica by etymonline". www.etymonline.com. Archived from the original on 17 August 2023. Retrieved 17 August 2023.

[20] Batsford and Fry, 1-3

[21] Richard Utz. "The Cathedral as Time Machine: Art, Architecture, and Religion." In: The Idea of the Gothic Cathedral. Interdisciplinary Perspectives on the Meanings of the Medieval Edifice in the Modern Period, ed. Stephanie Glaser (Turnhout: Brepols, 2018). pp. 239–59.

[22] Peter W. Williams, Houses of God: Region, Religion, and Architecture in the United States, University of Illinois Press, USA, 2000, p. 125

[23] Murray Dempster, Byron D. Klaus, Douglas Petersen, The Globalization of Pentecostalism: A Religion Made to Travel, Wipf and Stock Publishers, USA, 2011, p. 210

[24] Mark A. Lamport, Encyclopedia of Christianity in the Global South, Volume 2, Rowman & Littlefield, USA, 2018, p. 32

[25] Anne C. Loveland, Otis B. Wheeler, From Meetinghouse to Megachurch: A Material and Cultural History, University of Missouri Press, USA, 2003, p. 149

[Caillou-26] Annabelle Caillou, Vivre grâce aux dons et au bénévolat Archived 6 November 2020 at the Wayback Machine, ledevoir.com, Canada, 10 November 2018

[27] Helmuth Berking, Silke Steets, Jochen Schwenk, Religious Pluralism and the City: Inquiries into Postsecular Urbanism, Bloomsbury Publishing, UK, 2018, p. 78

[28] George Thomas Kurian, Mark A. Lamport, Encyclopedia of Christianity in the United States, Volume 5, Rowman & Littlefield, USA, 2016, p. 1359

[29] William H. Brackney, Historical Dictionary of the Baptists, Scarecrow Press, USA, 2009, p. 61

[30] Wade Clark Roof, Contemporary American Religion, Volume 1, Macmillan, UK, 2000, p. 49

[31] Sam Hey, Megachurches: Origins, Ministry, and Prospects, Wipf and Stock Publishers, USA, 2013, p. 265.

[32] Ed Stetzer, Megachurch Research - Terminology Archived 16 May 2021 at the Wayback Machine, christianitytoday.com, USA, October 9, 2008.

[33] Alicia Budich, From Megachurch to "Gigachurch", cbsnews.com, USA, April 6, 2012.

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@@ Line 130: / Line 130: @@
 == Geographical distribution ==
 [[File:Jerusalem-Grabeskirche-14-vom Erloeserkirchturm-2010-gje.jpg|thumb|[[Church of the Holy Sepulchre]] is considered the most important church in all of [[Christendom]].<ref>{{cite book |last=Holt |first=Andrew |title=The World of the Crusades: A Daily Life Encyclopedia [2 volumes] |publisher=ABC-CLIO |year=2019 |isbn=9781440854620 |page=57 |quote=was housed in the most important church in Christendom, the Church of the Holy Sepulchre.}}</ref>]]
-Aside from [[Saudi Arabia]] and the [[Maldives]], all [[sovereign states]] and [[dependent territories]] worldwide possess church buildings, although both of these countries also host secret [[home churches]].<ref>{{cite book|title=A Quick Look at Christian History: A Chronological Timeline Through the Centuries|first=George|last=Kurian|year=2015|isbn=9780736953795|page=187-188|publisher=Harvest House Publishers}}</ref> [[Afghanistan]] has the fewest churches globally, with only one official church: the [[Our Lady of Divine Providence Chapel, Kabul|Our Lady of Divine Providence Chapel in Kabul]].<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424127887323384604578326953607830168|title=Afghan Church Endures Amid War and Strife|last=Stancati|first=Margherita|date=2013-03-18|newspaper=Wall Street Journal|issn=0099-9660|access-date=2016-05-31}}</ref> [[Somalia]] follows closely,  which once housed the [[Mogadishu Cathedral]],<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ulXZAAAAMAAJ |title=Consolata Missionaries in the World (1901-2001) |author= Giovanni Tebaldi |year=2001 |page=127 |publisher=Paulines |isbn=9789966210234 |accessdate=2014-04-06}}</ref> along with Saint Anthony of Padua church in [[Somaliland]].<ref>[https://www.thetablet.co.uk/news/7615/somaliland-s-only-catholic-church-closed-days-after-re-opening-due-to-public-pressures- Somaliland's only Catholic church closed days after re-opening due to 'public pressures ']{{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200926170720/https://www.thetablet.co.uk/news/7615/somaliland-s-only-catholic-church-closed-days-after-re-opening-due-to-public-pressures-/|date=26 September 2020}}</ref> In contrast, some estimates suggest that the [[United States]] has the has the highest number of churches in the world, with around 380,000,<ref>{{cite web|first=Rebecca|last =Randall|url=https://www.christianitytoday.com/2017/09/how-many-churches-in-america-us-nones-nondenominational/|title=How Many Churches Does America Have? More Than Expected|date =14 September 2017|publisher=Christianity Today}}</ref> followed by [[Brazil]] and [[Italy]].<ref>{{cite book|title=The Churches and Democracy in Brazil: Towards a Public Theology Focused on Citizenship|first=Rudolf|last=von Sinner|year=2012|isbn=9781630877279| page=59|publisher=Wipf and Stock Publishers}}</ref> According to the Future for Religious Heritage, there are over 500,000 churches across [[Europe]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/oct/29/religious-buildings-are-part-of-europes-heritage-they-should-be-part-of-its-future|title=Religious buildings are part of Europe’s heritage. They should be part of its future|date =29 October 2018 |publisher=The Guardian}}</ref>
+Aside from [[Saudi Arabia]] and the [[Maldives]], all [[sovereign states]] and [[dependent territories]] worldwide possess church buildings, although both of these countries also host secret [[home churches]].<ref>{{cite book|title=A Quick Look at Christian History: A Chronological Timeline Through the Centuries|first=George|last=Kurian|year=2015|isbn=9780736953795|page=187-188|publisher=Harvest House Publishers}}</ref> [[Afghanistan]] has the fewest churches globally, with only one official church: the [[Our Lady of Divine Providence Chapel, Kabul|Our Lady of Divine Providence Chapel in Kabul]].<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424127887323384604578326953607830168|title=Afghan Church Endures Amid War and Strife|last=Stancati|first=Margherita|date=2013-03-18|newspaper=Wall Street Journal|issn=0099-9660|access-date=2016-05-31}}</ref> [[Somalia]] follows closely,  which once housed the [[Mogadishu Cathedral]],<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ulXZAAAAMAAJ |title=Consolata Missionaries in the World (1901-2001) |author= Giovanni Tebaldi |year=2001 |page=127 |publisher=Paulines |isbn=9789966210234 |accessdate=2014-04-06}}</ref> along with Saint Anthony of Padua Church in [[Somaliland]].<ref>[https://www.thetablet.co.uk/news/7615/somaliland-s-only-catholic-church-closed-days-after-re-opening-due-to-public-pressures- Somaliland's only Catholic church closed days after re-opening due to 'public pressures ']{{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200926170720/https://www.thetablet.co.uk/news/7615/somaliland-s-only-catholic-church-closed-days-after-re-opening-due-to-public-pressures-/|date=26 September 2020}}</ref>
+In contrast, some estimates suggest that the [[United States]] has the has the highest number of churches in the world, with around 380,000,<ref>{{cite web|first=Rebecca|last =Randall|url=https://www.christianitytoday.com/2017/09/how-many-churches-in-america-us-nones-nondenominational/|title=How Many Churches Does America Have? More Than Expected|date =14 September 2017|publisher=Christianity Today}}</ref> followed by [[Brazil]] and [[Italy]].<ref>{{cite book|title=The Churches and Democracy in Brazil: Towards a Public Theology Focused on Citizenship|first=Rudolf|last=von Sinner|year=2012|isbn=9781630877279| page=59|publisher=Wipf and Stock Publishers}}</ref> According to the Future for Religious Heritage, there are over 500,000 churches across [[Europe]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/oct/29/religious-buildings-are-part-of-europes-heritage-they-should-be-part-of-its-future|title=Religious buildings are part of Europe’s heritage. They should be part of its future|date =29 October 2018 |publisher=The Guardian}}</ref> Several cities are commonly known as the "[[City of Churches]]" due to their abundance of churches. These cities include [[Adelaide]],<ref>{{cite web |url = http://www.samemory.sa.gov.au/site/page.cfm?u=1455 |title=Religion: Diversity |access-date=15 November 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130810123558/http://www.samemory.sa.gov.au/site/page.cfm?u=1455 |archive-date=10 August 2013 }}</ref> [[Ani]],<ref>{{cite EB1911 |mode=cs2 |wstitle=Ani |volume=2 |page=47 }}</ref> [[Ayacucho]],<ref>{{Cite book|title=The Church, Dictatorships, and Democracy in Latin America|last=Klaiber|first=Jeffrey|date=2009-09-01|publisher=Wipf and Stock Publishers|isbn=9781606089477|language=en}}</ref> [[Churches of Kraków|Kraków]],<ref name="diecezja">Józef Szymon Wroński (2007), [https://web.archive.org/web/20071228090310/http://diecezja.pl/index.php?page=jswronski Kościoły Krakowa (The churches of Kraków).] Archidiecezja Krakowska. Retrieved 23 December 2012. {{in lang|pl}}</ref> [[Moscow]],<ref>{{cite journal|title=onlinelibrary.wiley.com|journal=City & Society|volume=10|pages=269–314|publisher=onlinelibrary.wiley.com|date=June 28, 2008|doi=10.1525/city.1998.10.1.269|last1=Khazanov|first1=Anatoly M.|s2cid=145807994}}</ref> [[Montreal]],<ref>{{cite web|url=https://montrealgazette.com/news/local-news/notre-dame-de-paris-fire-how-safe-are-montreals-heritage-churches|title=Notre-Dame de Paris fire: How safe are Montreal's heritage churches?|access-date=March 13, 2021|archive-date=January 18, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210118042736/https://montrealgazette.com/news/local-news/notre-dame-de-paris-fire-how-safe-are-montreals-heritage-churches|url-status=live}}</ref> [[Naples]],<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.red-travel.com/uk/ferrari-tour-italy/places/naples-english-guided-visit.htm |publisher=Red Travel |title=Naples |date=8 January 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120303111036/http://www.red-travel.com/uk/ferrari-tour-italy/places/naples-english-guided-visit.htm |archive-date=3 March 2012}}</ref> [[Ohrid]],<ref>{{cite book|author1=Biljana Vankovska|author2=Hakan Wiberg|author3=Wiberg Hakan|title=Between Past and Future: Civil-military Relations in the Post-communist Balkans|year=2003|publisher=Bloomsbury Academic|isbn=978-1-86064-624-9|page=71}}</ref> [[Churches in Prague|Prague]], [[Querétaro (city)|Querétaro]], [[Churches of Rome|Rome]],<ref>{{cite web|first=Stuardt |last=Clarke |title=The Churches of Rome: Major and Minor |publisher=Stuardt Clarkes Rome |url=http://www.stuardtclarkesrome.com/churchlist.htm |access-date=26 January 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120208035455/http://www.stuardtclarkesrome.com/churchlist.htm |archive-date=8 February 2012 }}</ref> [[Salzburg]], and [[List of churches in Vilnius|Vilnius]].
 Despite the prohibition on constructing churches in Saudi Arabia, the country is home to the remnants of a historic church known as the [[Jubail Church]], which dates back to the fourth century and was affiliated with the [[Church of the East]].<ref name=":1">{{Cite journal |last=Carter |first=R.A. |date=2008 |title=Christianity in the Gulf during the first centuries of Islam |url=https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1600-0471.2008.00293.x |journal=Arabian Archaeology and Epigraphy |language=en |volume=19 |issue=1 |pages=71–108 |doi=10.1111/j.1600-0471.2008.00293.x |issn=0905-7196}}</ref> Discovered in 1986, the site was excavated by the Saudi Antiquities Department in 1987. As of 2008, the findings from this excavation had not been published, reflecting sensitivities regarding artifacts from non-Islamic religions.<ref name=":1" />

v t e Places of worship
Baháʼí Faith	Baháʼí House of Worship
Buddhism	Buddhist Monastery or Vihāra Chaitya Pagoda Shaolin Monastery Stupa Wat
Christianity	Church
Hinduism	Hindu temple or Mandir Balinese temple or Pura
Jainism	Jain temple or Derasar or Basadi
Judaism	Synagogue or Shul
Islam	Mosque Dargah Gongbei
Mandaeism	Mandi or Mashkhanna or Beth Manda
Paganism & modern paganism	Heathen hof or Germanic pagan temple Magic circle
Shintoism	Shinto Shrine or Jinja
Sikhism	Gurdwara
Taoism	Taoist temple or Dàoguàn
Zoroastrianism	Fire temple or Agiary or Atashkadeh or Atashgah or Dar-e Mehr
Varying religions and beliefs	Altar Cult Architecture Asylum Cult image Sacred space Sanctuary Shrine Temple Sun temple
Note: Sorted alphabetically except the last one

Authority control databases
National	Germany United States France BnF data Czech Republic Spain Israel
Other	NARA