Etymology of the Word “Church”, Greek, Latin, English Origins, Pt 2 on the Religious Word Church

Is the word church biblical, or is it a later religious term?
In this video, Larry Overton traces the true origin of the English word church, showing that it comes from a Greek expression, not Latin words like arena or circus. Learn how κυριακὸν δῶμα (“the Lord’s house”) entered Christian vocabulary in the 4th century and why this matters for Bible translation and first-century Christianity.

“I Thought I Was Done With Church…”
In this video, Larry Overton revisits the religious word church after new questions arose about its etymology and historical origins. While intending to move on to the next word in this series, a discussion about whether church comes from Latin terms like arena or circus prompted a deeper examination.
Larry carefully traces the true linguistic path of the English word “church”, demonstrating that its origin is Greek, not Latin. Drawing from historical sources, classical lexicons, and early church history, he explains how the Greek expression κυριακὸν δῶμα (“the Lord’s house”) emerged in the 4th century AD, following the Edict of Milan, when purpose-built Christian meeting houses began to appear.
This video addresses common misconceptions, clarifies false etymological claims, and shows how the word church entered English through Greek → Latin → Germanic languages, rather than from Roman entertainment terms like arena or circus. It also highlights why church is a religious word, not a biblical word, and why that distinction matters for Bible translation and first-century Christian understanding.
This teaching is part of an ongoing series examining religious words that do not belong in the Bible, with the goal of reclaiming the language, practices, and mindset of first-century Christianity.
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