What is the origin of the word "church"? Jesus told Peter that he would be the cornerstone on which he would build his church. I know that the Jews had temples and I can not think of any other religion which uses this word "church". Any ideas?

Ramonabeez:

The word "CHURCH" comes from the Old English word "cirice"meaning public place of worship.

Pete

English was probably just a dialect of old German at the time Jesus said that to Peter. The word Jesus used was later written in Greek, as ekklēsia which means something like group gathering or assembly. It got translated as church (because by the time the bible was translated, that was the word used in English to mean a group gathering or assembly of Christians).

Cassini,
The word Church was chosen by translators to indicated the word the Jesus probably used which means assembly or like ekklēsia which is a group of people gathered together for a like purpose.
Peace and kindness,
Fred