In article ,
"The Ranger" wrote:

My daughter-units were using our church key to open several
bottles of soda today. Daughter-unit Alpha was really intrigued
by it -- the design, functionality, everything about it -- and
asked me why it was called a "church key." I hated to admit
it... But I didn't have an answer. Gooja didn't help narrow
down that bit of trivia.

Why is it called a church key?

Many thanks.

The Ranger

Wikipedia (you could look it up too) says:

There is sparse, and often contradictory, documentation as to the origin of
the term "Church Key", though most agree the phrase is a sarcastic euphemism,
as the opener was obviously designed to access beer, and not churches.
One explanation for the term "Church Key" lends its origin an almost mythic
significance; in Medieval Europe, monks and nobility were the only brewers.
Lagering cellars in the monasteries were locked, as the monks guarded the
secrets to their craft. The monks carried keys to these lagering cellars on
their cinch, or belt. It may have been this key from which the "Church Key"
opener got its name.

cw in mi