How is a temple different from a church: a community meeting or a religious building?
Few people who identify themselves with one religion or another will be able to unequivocally answer the question of how a temple differs from a church. And they, in turn, have a huge number of differences.
It cannot be said that the latter are quite serious or significant, but a self-respecting religious minister or believer needs to know about them.
Now we will try to look at the main points of how a temple differs from a church.
Advice
There are several definitions for the word “temple”. One of them says that it represents a place where worship takes place. It is in this concept that temple and church are synonymous.
In addition, it can be defined as a place that evokes awe of God. And here the church becomes its analogue.
However, in addition to this, it also directly means the community of ministers or followers of one particular religion.
In fact, thinking about how a temple differs from a church causes controversy, and quite active ones at that. Some will argue that there are no significant differences, while others will fiercely argue the opposite. One thing is for sure: there are both differences and similarities. The main difference is in the architecture. The status of a temple or church is determined by the number of domes decorated with a crucifix. The first one has much more of them. A church, as a rule, is decorated with one or two domes, but there should be more than three of them in the structure of the temple. The interior is also considered a distinctive feature. The interior of a temple is usually painted to reflect the complete history of the universe. Besides, it looks more beautiful than the church. This contributes to the fact that it is located in well-known parts of the locality; it is, as it were, an asset of the city. The interior of the church, as a rule, is more modest, equipped with icons and multi-colored mosaics.
If you continue to look for how a temple differs from a church, you can pay attention to the altar. To be more precise, by their number. There is only one copy of it in the church.
Despite the fact that you can often find several priests here, you will be able to serve the liturgy only once, since the altar allows you to hold a service only once a day.
There are many more altars in the temple.
It cannot be said that a believer really needs to know how a church differs from a temple. This is due to the fact that this knowledge does not strengthen faith, nor does it weaken it. If anyone is interested, he can collect information. However, it will not become the basis of faith, because God must be in the heart, and any religious worship is not calculated by the amount of relevant knowledge.
Source: https://autogear.ru/article/792/13/chem-hram-otlichaetsya-ot-tserkvi-sobranie-obschinyi-ili-religioznoe-stroenie/
What is the difference between a cathedral and a church?
Very often you can hear completely different names for the same sacred place, but which one is correct? It's very easy to distinguish. The concepts of cathedral, church and temple are closely related, so you need to know the characteristics of each of these places.
What is a church, cathedral, temple?
Church is a Greek word that literally translates as the house of the Lord, God's house.
But this word can also be interpreted as “meeting”, because previously a church was not called the building itself, but a group of believers who offer their prayers in a special place.
Then the meaning of the word was distorted and currently a church is a building, a place for prayers and services, which is synonymous with the definition of a temple.
A temple is a religious building in which services, worship, and religious ceremonies are held. These sacred buildings must have three or more domes, with the three main ones symbolizing the holy trinity. If an additional part is being added to the main part, then it should also have a dome. The new part may have a different name from the main temple.
Temples have varieties such as:
- Cross-domed. Temples in which the entire central space forms a cross. Usually it has a rectangular shape, and apses are built on both sides. They are usually decorated with zakomaras, arcatures, pilasters, and spindles.
- Tent-shaped structures. Such structures are classic for Russian architecture. Their octagonal base rests on a quadrangular one, i.e. the temple itself has four sides, and its tent has eight. Its tent is shaped like a pyramid, which is a distinctive feature of this type. There are terraces on all sides.
- Tiered temples. They consist of parts “stacked” on top of each other, where the highest part is the smallest. They have many columns, cornices, brick inlays, etc. and usually look very rich.
- Rotundas. Round buildings, decorated with columns, less often without them.
- “Ships”. The temple is in the shape of a cube, which is connected to the chapel by a rectangular building. Outwardly, it resembles a ship.
Difference between temple and church
For a believer, visiting a temple is akin to a holiday.
He feels peace of mind, vigor of the body and endless happiness from the opportunity to touch something higher. He is looking for love, protection and blessings for good endeavors. People pray for healing, for strengthening faith and guidance on the true path, for heartfelt joy, for the gift of piety and mercy. However, few of them thought about whether there is a difference between the words “temple” and “church”.
And if there is, then what is it?
Although, on the one hand, temple and church are synonymous, it is not always possible to replace these words with each other.
The content of the article
Definitions
The word “ temple ” is of Old Russian origin and means “mansions”, “temple”.
In different religions, the temple is called differently: in Christianity it is a cathedral, a church, a cathedral, a church; in Judaism - a synagogue; in Islam - a mosque, etc. The temple building is polysemantic.
In Christianity and Buddhism, for example, the temple is a model of the Universe oriented to the cardinal points. Very often the temple is built in the form of a cross.
Church (kyriakon) is translated from Greek as “house of the Lord.” Lutherans call the church a church or kirk, and Catholics call it a church.
note
The first churches were meetings in a house where believers ate food, held religious conversations, and read prayers.
The simplest churches today are some kind of room where there is an altar oriented to the east and a meal in which people gather to pray.
Semantic meaning of words
The word "temple" has several meanings. Firstly, a temple is a building intended for worship. In this meaning, temple and church are synonymous.
The concept of “temple” is also applicable to designate a place that evokes respect, awe, and awe.
The word “church”, in addition to the above meaning, can denote a community of followers of any religion.
Purpose
The purpose of the temple is to provide a place for a person to pray, repent of his sins and ask for intercession. Any temple is the place of the presence of the Lord God on earth.
The purpose of the church, on the one hand, is consonant with the purpose of the temple: it is the creation of normal conditions for the worship of God and the communication of believers with each other. But, first of all, the church is engaged in educating and instructing believers on the true path.
Architecture Features
The status of the church can be determined by the number of domes with crosses. If there are 3, 5, 7, 11 or 12, 13 domes rising above the Lord’s house, then most likely this is a temple. If there are less than three domes, then it is a church. Temples are usually located in iconic places in the city. The temple, as a rule, looks more majestic than the church. The interior of the temple reflects the history of the universe.
Church of the Life-Giving Trinity in Listy
Altar
An altar is an altar located on some elevation. In Orthodox churches, the altar means the part of the temple fenced off by the iconostasis, intended for the clergy. It has a throne covered with an antimension on which a cross is placed.
There may be several such altars with thrones in a temple. On each of these altars you can serve the liturgy, but only one per altar per day. Accordingly, as many liturgies can take place in a church per day as there are altars in it, but each new liturgy must be served by a different priest.
In a church, as a rule, there is only one altar with one altar, and, therefore, the liturgy, even if there is a second priest, can only be served by one.
Conclusions TheDifference.ru
- The temple is, first of all, a building for worship. The Church is a community of fellow believers.
- The temple is larger than the church and has at least three domes.
- There may be several altars with a throne in a temple, but one in a church.
- The temple can serve several liturgies per day with several priests. In a church, even if there are two priests, the liturgy can only be served once.
Source: https://TheDifference.ru/otlichie-xrama-ot-cerkvi/
