church
A space dedicated to Christian worship, prayer, and religious services by a congregation or other group.
Pictured: Sevilla Cathedral
A church is a space dedicated to religious worship, prayer, and services by adherents to the Christian faith. It usually accommodates a group of persons who worship together in regular ceremonies or meetings, often led by a member of the religious clergy.
Churches usually occupy a church structure, but they can also occupy a low-rise building, a converted temple, or any other form of structure that can accommodate group worship. A few megachurches even occupy arenas which were built originally for sports.
The dedicated Christian worship use distinguishes the space from a room used only for a secular gathering. Its religious use does not depend on having a particular roof form, tower, or architectural style.
church Photos
More specific definitions
20 sub-definitions-
adventist church
A worship space used for prayer and services by a Saturday-observing Adventist congregation. -
anglican church
A worship space used for services and religious ceremonies in the Anglican or Episcopal tradition. -
baptist church
A worship space used for regular services and prayer by a congregation in the Baptist tradition. -
calvinist church
A consecrated house of worship in the Calvinist tradition, including Reformed churches. -
christian community church
A worship space used for services and sacraments by a congregation of The Christian Community. -
christian science church
A worship space used for services and prayer by a congregation of the Church of Christ, Scientist. -
congregational church
A worship space used for services and religious ceremonies by a Congregationalist congregation. -
eastern orthodox church
A worship space used for prayer, liturgy, and religious ceremonies by an Eastern Orthodox congregation. -
interdenominational church
A Christian worship space open to any denomination or shared by more than two denominations. -
lutheran church
A worship space used for masses, prayer, and religious services by a Lutheran congregation. -
methodist church
A worship space used for services, prayer, and religious ceremonies by a Methodist congregation. -
new apostolic church
A worship space used for regular services and prayer by a congregation of the New Apostolic Church. -
non-denominational church
A house of worship in a particular Christian faith which is not tied to a broadly established denomination. -
old catholic church
A house of worship in a branch of the Catholic faith which has broken with Roman authority. -
oriental orthodox church
A house of worship belonging to one of the churches of the Oriental Orthodox communion. -
pentecostal church
A worship space used for regular services and prayer by a congregation in the Pentecostal movement. -
presbyterian church
A worship space used for services and religious ceremonies by a Presbyterian congregation. -
quaker meeting house
A place designated for frequent religious meetings by members of the Religious Society of Friends. -
roman catholic church
A worship space used for Roman Catholic masses, prayer, and ceremonies under the authority of the Pope. -
unitarian church
A house of worship used for religious services by a congregation in the Unitarian tradition.
Related definitions
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mosque
A space dedicated to Islamic worship, prayer, and services, including spaces in buildings of other forms. -
spirituality
Spaces used for gatherings or practice of spirituality outside of traditional religions. -
synagogue
A space dedicated to Jewish religious worship, prayer, and services, including a house of prayer. -
temple
A place of religious worship in traditions outside Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, or in sects calling it a temple.