Mike et al I think it is just the use of language. Language is always being contracted. What we need is to be more precise. We use the word church in at least three different ways, the people, the building, Sunday worship. What we are really referring to is the Church, the Church premises and the Church service. Even that is a mild contraction. Better still might be, the Church's premises, and the Church's service. The other use of the word church which I think is counter productive is the use of my, our, your etc. The Church is never 'my' church. To say so is to imply that it is somehow different to your church (and can therefore be bigger, better, richer etc. - comparisons which are not useful). There is THE Church, full stop (period). I try to use the word congregation when referring to particular members of the Church.
Again, just my 2d's worth BoW >===== Original Message From [EMAIL PROTECTED] ===== >In a message dated 12/17/2001 4:33:36 PM Eastern Standard Time, NTexRR194 >writes: > > >> >> I think you've got the right idea but backwards. Church is the correct >> word when we're referring to the people (as Adrian pointed out). What we >> need is a different word that refers to the building that the church >> congregates in to worship. >> >> Michael >> >Hmm, I think we can beat this one. The church is the people, not the >building. The Senate and the Congress are the people and not the building, >but we don't call the place that they meet at Senate and Congress because >they meet at the Capitol. > I don't know, some folks like Worship Center, while other like Family Life >Center. >Right here in that fabulous melting pot, we get stumped on ideas. It isn't a >Synagogue because most of us are not of the Jewish background, it isn't a >Parish because it is not likely that we would use a Catholic term for it, >Only the Muslims have mosques. (go with me please, I'm trying to make an >analysis here). OK lets look. the Catholics would call their meeting place a >Parish or Parish hall which is a place that they would go to meet at, but is >not representative of the Church and would only use the name of their >particular Congregation's name to identify it. The Church is the people of >that Parish. You know what? Forget me here. I have no clue what I am talking >about. I know this much though, the only reason someone would call something >a center is because if it was anything else it would be considered to be to >the left or the right. :) Smile. I'm not the Philosopher, my father was, >he is Edmund Burke. It's Christmas time. Have fun and most importantly >remember the Reason for the Season. > >Iron Mike _______ This mailing list is dedicated to the glory of God. Let the Golden Rule be your daily rule. Offering bucket: http://eBible.org/mpj/partner.htm To unsubscribe, send "unsubscribe rangernet" to [EMAIL PROTECTED] or visit http://rangernet.org/subscribe.htm http://rangernet.org Autoresponder: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
