According to https://www.newadvent.org/cathen/03744a.htm[The Catholic Encyclopedia]:
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The term *church* (Anglo-Saxon, cirice, circe; Modern German, Kirche; Swedish, Kyrka) is the name employed in the Teutonic languages to render the Greek ekklesia (ecclesia), the term by which the New Testament writers denote *the society founded by Our Lord Jesus Christ*.
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== Organization
The Christian Church began as one, and underwent multiple schisms and reconciliations, so that it now consists of three main sub-churches:
. [[Roman Catholic Church]]
. [[Eastern Orthodox Church]]
. [[Protestant Church]]
There are other, smaller church movements, such as Restorationism, but they are not all necessarily considered Christian, by the majority of other Christians.
.Diagram of the structure of the universal church (Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Church_of_the_East[Wikepedia])
image::https://i.nostr.build/WUpTNf55ooQ4PFCr.png[chart]
== Nicea
.Council of Nicea (Source: https://www.christianity.com/wiki/christian-terms/nicene-creed-in-church-history.html[Christianity.com])
image::[Council of Nicea, 500]
The *Christian Church* is largely defined as all Christians (those with valid baptisms, who follow Christ) that adhere to the *Four Marks of the Church*, as are described in the *Nicene Creed*, written in 325 A.D. :
[quote, First Council of Nicaea]
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I believe in one God,
the Father almighty,
maker of heaven and earth,
of all things visible and invisible.
I believe in one Lord Jesus Christ,
the Only Begotten Son of God,
born of the Father before all ages.
God from God, Light from Light,
true God from true God,
begotten, not made, consubstantial with the Father;
through him all things were made.
For us men and for our salvation
he came down from heaven,
and by the Holy Spirit was incarnate of the Virgin Mary,
and became man.
For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate,
he suffered death and was buried,
and rose again on the third day
in accordance with the Scriptures.
He ascended into heaven
and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
He will come again in glory
to judge the living and the dead
and his kingdom will have no end.
I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life,
who proceeds from the Father and the Son,
who with the Father and the Son is adored and glorified,
who has spoken through the prophets.
I believe in *one, holy, catholic and apostolic Church*.
I confess one Baptism for the forgiveness of sins
and I look forward to the resurrection of the dead
and the life of the world to come. Amen.
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![https://i.nostr.build/WUpTNf55ooQ4PFCr.png[chart]](https://i.nostr.build/WUpTNf55ooQ4PFCr.png[chart]){kind=link}
I recommend viewing this with Wikistr, to see it with Asciidoc formatting.
https://wikistr.com/christian-church*fd208ee8c8f283780a9552896e4823cc9dc6bfd442063889577106940fd927c1
#biblestr