Why "Church" Is a Political Word: Greek Polis & Early Christianity

Описание: Every Sunday, millions go to "church"—but the Greek word ekklesia originally meant a political assembly, not a religious gathering. Why did early Christians choose this civic term for their communities?

In this video, discover how the Greek city-state (polis) created the institutional blueprint that shaped early Christianity. From the gymnasium's citizen-formation system to the ekklesia's democratic assemblies, learn why understanding ancient Greek urban culture transforms how we read the New Testament.

📚 Key concepts covered:
• The polis as a complete civic ecosystem (city + farmland + villages) with only 1,000-5,000 citizens
• Greek paideia: how the gymnasium and ephebeia manufactured citizens through holistic formation
• The ekklesia (citizen assembly) → "church" connection and why early Christians borrowed political vocabulary
• How Alexander's successors spread this Greek urban model across the entire Mediterranean
• Civic institutions (theater, baths, hippodrome) as infrastructure for public life

⏱️ Timestamps:
0:00 - The surprising origin of "church"
0:45 - What was a Greek polis?
2:00 - The gymnasium: more than a gym
3:00 - Political bodies: demos, boule, ekklesia
4:30 - Why Christians chose "ekklesia"
5:30 - Civic spaces and daily life
6:30 - The spread of Greek urban culture

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📖 ORIGINAL SOURCE
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This video distills content from:
   • 3. The Greco-Roman World  

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#GreekHistory #EarlyChristianity #Ekklesia #AncientGreece #ChurchHistory #Polis #BiblicalStudies #NewTestament