Temple
The word temple has different meanings in the fields of architecture, religion, geography, anatomy, and education.
For the origin of the word, from the Latin templum, see under Roman temple
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Religion
A temple is a structure reserved for religious (or analogous) activities, usually worship such as prayer and sacrifice. Some religions use this generic term:
- Buddhism (Shaolin)
- Temple at Uppsala
- Temple (Greek)
- Temple in Jerusalem
- Temple (Mormonism)
- Temple (Roman)
Specific terms
Some religions refer to their temples by a unique word of their own:
- in Ancient Rome, only the native pagan divinities (part of the state cult) had a templum, the equivalent devoted to imported foreign deities was called fanum
- a Christian temple is called a church, among others.
- In Western Christianity, some 'private' temples are called chapel, the major ones often cathedrals (seat of a bishop), minster, basilica etc.
- In Orthodox Christianity, a temple is church with base shaped like Greek cross; see orthodox temple.
- Protestant denominations installed in France in the early modern era use the word "temple" (as opposed to "church", supposed to be Roman Catholic); some more recently installed Christian denominations use "church".
- a Jain temple is called a derasar
- a Hindu temple is variously called (in different languages) a mandir (Hindi), a kovil (Tamil), an gudi/devalayam/kovela/ in (Telugu) etc.
- an Islamic temple is called a mosque (masjid in Arabic)
- in Judaism, the temple refers to the Beit HaMikdash, meaning house of the Temple. Some synagogues, especially Reform synagogues, are called temples, but traditional Judaism considers this inappropriate as a synagogue is not a replacement for the Temple in Jerusalem.
- a Sikh temple is called a gurdwara
- a Zoroastrian temple is called a fire temple.
A Hindu and Buddhist temple in Cambodia and Thailand is known as a wat.
Freemasonry, which follows some Christian practices in its external forms though not a religious movement as such, also uses the term (masonic) temple for some of its meeting-places.
Architecture
In various historical periods, specific architectural styles were maintained strictly for major religious structures. These temple structures, along with military and palace structures, have often been the main surviving studied examples of certain kinds of architecture. In particular, Greek and Roman temple architecture has been a major influence in Western public architecture. See list of ancient temple structures.
List of religious temples
In Japan:
Geographical names
Mount Temple is a major mountain in Alberta and a major part of the scenery near Lake Louise. It was the first mountain over 11,000 feet in Alberta to be climbed, in 1894.
Temple is also the name of some places in the United States of America:
- Temple, Georgia
- Temple, Maine
- Temple, Michigan
- Temple, New Hampshire
- Temple, Pennsylvania
- Temple, Texas
- and part of the name of:
Educational site names
- Temple University is an institution of higher learning in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
- The Inner Temple and the Middle Temple are two of the four inns of court in London. The area is sometimes called Temple, and there is a Temple tube station. The area is so called because long ago it belonged to the Knights Templar. At the centre of the area lies the Temple Church.
Anatomy
A part of the head, see Temple (anatomy)
External links
- etymology on line - distinct for the religious and anatomical terms
- Mount Temple Climbing Information
- The Hindu Temple - Where Man Becomes God by Sri Nitin Kumar.
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