ekklesía

Ekklesía (ἐκκλησία) is a Greek term meaning "assembly" or "the called-out ones," formed from ek "out" and kaleō "to call." In classical Greek, it referred to a gathering of citizens convened for deliberation or public business, often for making decisions and enforcing policy.

In ancient city-states, notably Athens, the ekklesía was the primary public assembly, open to eligible male citizens, with powers over legislation, policy, and diplomacy. It functioned as a participatory institution of civic life, with decisions reached by vote and debate, rather than by a body of officials alone.

In the New Testament, ekklesía shifts to a religious sense: the community of believers in Christ, either locally (the ekklesía of Corinth, the ekklesía of Ephesus, etc.) or universally (the church as the body of Christ). The term does not primarily denote a building; rather, it denotes the people gathered as the people of God. Jesus’ statement to Peter about building “my ekklesía” (Matthew 16:18) and Paul’s references to local ekklesíai emphasize a communal, rather than architectural, sense.

Etymology and modern usage: The concept emphasizes the people of God called out from the world. In ecclesiology, ekklesía informs discussions of church identity, governance, and mission. In translations, ekklesía became "church" in Latin ecclesia, later English; modern scholarship uses the term to describe both local congregations and broader church communities, reflecting a range of theological and organizational emphases.