congregation

(noun)

A gathering of faithful in a temple, church, synagogue, mosque or other place of worship. It can also refer to the people who are present at a devotional service in the building, particularly in contrast to the pastor, minister, imam, rabbi etc. and/or choir, who may be seated apart from the general congregation or lead the service (notably in responsary form).

Related Terms

Examples of congregation in the following topics:

  • Religious Denominations

    • Non-denominational congregations may establish a functional denomination via mutual recognition by other congregations with commonly held doctrine, policy, and worship—without formalizing external direction or oversight in such matters.
    • Some non-denominational churches explicitly reject the idea of a formalized denominational structure as a matter of principle, holding that each congregation is better off being autonomous.

  • The Christian Church

    • Churches of Christ are autonomous Christian congregations associated with one another through common beliefs and practices.
    • They seek to base doctrine and practice on the Bible alone, and seek to be New Testament congregations as originally established by the authority of Christ.
    • They seek to base doctrine and practice on the Bible alone, and seek to be New Testament congregations as originally established by the authority of Christ.

  • The Great Awakening

    • Jonathan Edward's congregation was involved in a revival later called the "Frontier Revivals" in the mid-1730s.
    • The leaders of the Great Awakening, such as Jonathan Edwards and George Whitefield, had little interest in merely engaging parishioners' intellects; rather, they sought a strong emotional response from their congregations that might yield the workings and experiential evidence of saving grace.

  • Bile

    • When exposed to water mixed with fat, such as in the small intestine, the bile salts congregate around a fat droplet with their hydrophobic side pointing towards the fat and their hydrophillic side pointing towards the water.
    • Bile salts congregate around fat and separate them into small droplets called micelles.

  • Property Rights And Markets

    • The smoke may impose significant costs on other members of the congregation.
    • It might be possible that Aunt Mabel and others in the congregation could contract (or pay) with Harold not to smoke.
    • Aunt Mabel and the congregation are better off because they were willing to pay Harold not to smoke.
    • If Harold wanted to smoke, he would have to contract with the congregation for the right to do so.

  • Markets and Missionaries

    • Myron Reed of the First Congregational Church became a spokesman for labor unions on issues such as worker's compensation.
    • His middle-class congregation encouraged Reed to move on when he became a Socialist, and he organized a nondenominational church.
    • One of the defining theologians for the Social Gospel movement was Walter Rauschenbusch, a Baptist pastor of a congregation located in Hell’s Kitchen in New York City.
    • For instance, the abolitionist Owen Lovejoy was among the Congregational ministers of the AMA who helped plant 115 antislavery churches in Illinois before the American Civil War, aided by the strong westward migration of individuals from the East.

  • Temple Style of the North

    • A small Hindu temple typically consists of an inner sanctum, a congregation hall, and sometimes an antechamber or porch .
    • A small Hindu temple consists of an inner sanctum, a congregation hall, and sometimes an antechamber and porch.

  • The Nature of Groups

    • Examples of groups include families, companies, circles of friends, clubs, local chapters of fraternities and sororities, and local religious congregations.
    • Examples of groups include: families, companies, circles of friends, clubs, local chapters of fraternities and sororities, and local religious congregations.

  • Colonial Cities

    • In New England, the Puritans created self-governing communities of religious congregations of farmers, or yeomen, and their families.
    • The Congregational Church, the church that the Puritans founded, was not automatically joined by all New England residents because of Puritan beliefs that God singled out specific people for salvation.

  • Women and Church Governance

    • The rising number of women congregants influenced the doctrine preached by ministers as well.
    • In an effort to give sermons that would resonate with the congregation, Christ was gradually "feminized" in this period to stress his humility and forgiveness.