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Temple
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A temple (from the Latin word templum) is a structure reserved for religious or spiritual activities, such as prayer and sacrifice, or analogous rites.
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A temple (from the Latin word templum) is a structure reserved for religious or spiritual activities, such as prayer and sacrifice, or analogous rites. A ‘’templum’’ constituted a sacred precinct as defined by a priest, or augur. It has the same root as the word “ template,’’ a plan in preparation of the building that was marked out on the ground by the augur. Though a templum , technically speaking, is not a “house of the gods” but a diagram that for the Romans linked the geometries of heaven and earth, it was also indicative of a dwelling place of a god or gods. This tradition dates back to prehistoric times. For the ancient Egyptians, the word pr could refer not only to a house, but also to a sacred structure since it was believed that the gods resided in houses. The word ‘temple’ (which dates to about the 6th century BCE ), despite the specific set of meanings associated with the religion of the ancient Rome, has now become quite widely used to describe a house of worship for any number of religions and is even used for time periods prior to the Romans.
Ancient Near East
The oldest known temple seems to be that found at Göbekli Tepe in southeastern Turkey, dating from the 10th millennium BC.
Jewish synagogues and temples
In Judaism, the ancient Hebrew texts refer not to temples, the word having not existed yet, but to a "sanctuary", "palace" or "hall". Each of the two ancient Temples in Jerusalem was called Beit Hamikdash, which translates literally as "the Holy House".
The Temple Mount in Jerusalem is the site where the First Temple of Solomon and the Second Temple were built. At the center of the structure was the Holy of Holies where only the high priest could enter. The Temple Mount is now the site of the Islamic shrine, the Dome of the Rock (c. 690).
The Greek word synagogue came into use to describe Jewish places of worship during Hellenistic times and it, along with the Yiddish term shul, and the original Hebrew term Bet Knesset ("House of meeting") are the terms in most universal usage.
From the beginning of the nineteenth century, the word ‘temple’ began to be used, almost exclusively by the followers of Reform Judaism, first in Germany, then in other countries,espescially in the United States, as in Temple Beth-El. The word refers not to Roman temples, but to the Temple of Solomon. Orthodox Judaism considers this usage inappropriate, as it does not consider synagogues a replacement for the Temple in Jerusalem (there were local places of worship contemporaneous with the existence of the Temple, e.g. the one that can be seen at Masada).
Greco-Roman temples
Though today we call most Greek religious buildings "temples," the ancient pagans would have referred to a temenos, or sacred precinct. Its sacredness, often connected with a holy grove, was more important than the building itself, as it contained the open air altar on which the sacrifices were made. The building which housed the cult statue in its naos was originally a rather simple structure, but by the middle of the 6th century BCE had become increasingly elaborate. Greek temple architecture had a profound influence on ancient architectural traditions.
The rituals that located and sited the temple were performed by an augur through the observation of the flight of birds or other natural phenomenon. Roman temples usually faced east or toward the rising sun, but the specifics of the orientation are often not known today; there are also notable exceptions, such as the Pantheon which faces north. In ancient Rome, only the native deities of Roman mythology had a templullm; any equivalent structure for a foreign deity was called a fanum.
Indian religions
Hindu temples
These may also be called by other names, including mandir or mandira, koil or kovil, devasthana and devalaya, depending on the region in the Indian subcontinent and its local language.
Hindu temples are large and magnificent with a rich history. Some date as far back as the Bronze Age and later the Indus Valley Civilization. In the present day magnificent Hindu temples have been built in various countries of the world including India, Great Britain, the United States, Australia, South Africa and Canada.
Buddhist temples
They include the structures called stupa, wat and pagoda in different regions and languages. Temples in Buddhism represent the pure land or pure environment of a Buddha. Traditional Buddhist Temples are designed to inspire inner and outer peace.
Sikh temples
Jain temples
Jain idols of Tirthankaras are worshipped in Jain temples. Usually they are built from Marble stone. Some famous Jain temples are located in Palitana, Shankeshwar, Shikharji, Vataman, Mumbai, and Ahmedabad.Usually Jain temples have many marble pillars which are carved beautifully with Demi god posture. The main vestibule usually contains the statues of 3 of the thirthankars: Parshwanath, Rishabdev and Mahavir. The Jain Dilwara temples at Mount Abu are considered the most beautiful Jain pilgrimage sites in the world.
Ayyavazhi temples
Zoroastrian temples
Zoroastrian temples may also be called the [darb-e meh and atashkada.
Christian temples
The word is rarely used in the Western Christian tradition, and very frequently used in Eastern Orthodox Church. The principal words for Western Christian architecture are: basilica, cathedral and church, while in Eastern Orthodox Church, principal words are: temple and church.
In the Eastern Orthodox Church the use of the word temple comes from the need to distinguish building of the church vs. church as Body of Christ. For example Temple of Saint Sava in Belgrade, Serbia. See also: Orthodox church (building) and catholicon.
Beginning in the late eighteenth century, following the Enlightenment, some Protestant denominations in France and elsewhere began to use the word "temple" to distinguish these spaces from a Catholic church. Evangelical and other Protestant churches will make use of a wide variety of terms to designate their worship spaces, such as Tabernacle, Temple, etc.
Temples in the Latter Day Saint movement
According to Latter Day Saint tradition, in 1832, Joseph Smith, Jr. received a revelation to restore the practice of temple worship, in a "house of the Lord". The Kirtland Temple was the first temple of the Latter Day Saint movement and the only one completed in Smith's lifetime, although the Nauvoo Temple was partially complete at the time of his death. The schisms stemming from a succession crisis have led to differing views about the role and use of temples between various groups with competing succession claims.
Temples of the LDS church
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is a prolific builder of "Latter-day Saint" or "Mormon" temples. Latter-day Saint temples are reserved for performing and undertaking only the most holy and sacred of covenants and special of ordinances. They are distinct from meeting houses and chapels where weekly worship services are held. The temples are built and kept under strict sacredness and are not to be defiled. Thus, strict rules apply for entrance.
Other Denominations
Various other churches that are off-shoots from the Latter Day Saint also have temples. An example is the Independence Temple at Independence, Missouri that was built by the Community of Christ by then church prophet-president Wallace B. Smith. The Community of Christ also currently owns the original Kirtland Temple, which it operates as a historic site.
Masonic temples
Freemasonry is a fraternal organization with its origins in the eighteenth century whose membership is held together by a shared set of moral and metaphysical ideals. Freemasons meet as a Lodge. Lodges meet in a Masonic Temple, Masonic Center or a Masonic Hall, such as Freemasons' Hall, London. Some confusion exists as Masons usually refer to a Lodge meeting as being in Lodge.
Other religions
Though the word "temple" is used broadly, one should use it with discretion in the context of some religions. A mosque for example, should never be called a temple.
Convention allows the use of temple in the following cases:
See also
Partial list of temples
In Republic of China:
In Cambodia:
In China:
- The Temple of Heaven, a Taoist temple in Beijing
In Egypt:
In Greece:
In Guatemala:
In Iran:
In Italy:
In Korea:
In Japan:
In Malta:
In Turkey:
In Thailand:
In the United States:
In Mexico:
In India:
Around the World:
Additional reading
Hani, Jean, Le symbolisme du temple chrétien, G. Trédaniel (editor); [2. éd.] edition (1978), 207 p., ISBN 2-85707-030-6
External links
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