A Glossary of Church Terms: Core Concepts from A to Z

Service, baptism, icon, liturgy, congregation, patriarchate, basilica and more: a short, neutral glossary of core church and Christianity terms.

When you read something about a church, worship or Christianity, you often come across unfamiliar words: service, liturgy, icon, patriarchate... This glossary of church terms explains the most-wondered-about concepts from A to Z, in two or three sentences each and in neutral language. The aim is not to teach a belief but to let you quickly resolve the words that trip you up while reading. Beside the appropriate terms you will find links to our guide pages, which treat the subject in depth, so you can read any concept you are curious about in more detail with a single click.

How to use this glossary

The terms are in alphabetical order; you can scan to the word you are looking for and read the short definition, and if you wish, follow the linked guide for detail. Most of the definitions give the shared core of the concept without going into details that vary by tradition. If you would like to see a church in person, the place where all these terms become concrete is the Kadıköy church directory.

Read more

Most of these terms are treated more deeply on our detailed guide pages; you can find them all in the guides index. If you would like to read the texts in which these concepts appear for yourself, the Bible reading pages are accessible chapter by chapter, free of charge. And to see the churches in Kadıköy where these terms become concrete, you can browse the church directory. A glossary is never complete; the aim here is to let someone new to the subject comfortably resolve the words they encounter most often. If you are curious about a term's deeper meaning, simply follow the guide link beside it.

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