christian practices Flashcards
1
Q
what is worship?
A
the act of religious prayer - a way for christians to show their love, honour and devotion to god
2
Q
what are the different forms of worship?
A
- liturgical
- non-liturgical
- informal
3
Q
what is private worship?
A
when believers praise or honour god in their own home eg, through meditation
4
Q
why do christians worship?
A
- to praise and thank god
- to ask for forgiveness
- to seek god’s help for themselves and others
- to deepen their relationship with god and strengthen their faith
- to be a part of a community
5
Q
what is liturgical worship?
A
a service that follows a set structure or ritual aka formal worship
6
Q
what form does liturgical worship take?
A
- takes place in a church
- priest leads a congregation and may perform symbolic actions
- formal prayers with set responses and patterns
- the reading out of bible passages, maybe a sermon
- music and hymns
- same process is usually followed each time as they follow the christian calendar
7
Q
denominations that take part in liturgical worship
A
- roman catholic
- anglican
- orthodox
8
Q
why is liturgical worship important to christians?
A
- it is a worldwide set order for service that is familiar to everyone
- has been passed down through generations so it has a sense of tradition
- bible readings follow the christian calendar and teach christian history and faith
9
Q
what is non-liturgical worship?
A
a service that does not follow a set text or ritual
10
Q
what form does non-liturgical worship take?
A
- takes place in a church
- is often focused on the bible and sermons but also focuses on the needs of the people by choosing specific passages
- may also have prayers and hymns but there is no set order and the type can change from week to week
11
Q
denominations that take part in non-liturgical worship
A
- methodist
- baptist
- united reformed
12
Q
why is non-liturgical prayer important to christians?
A
- services can be planned and ordered to suit a certain theme
- non-conformist churches put an emphasis on the word of god in the bible
13
Q
what is informal worship?
A
a type of non-liturgical worship that is more ‘charismatic’ in nature
14
Q
what form does informal worship take?
A
- community or house churches meet in private homes and share food
- some involve silence whilst others may involve dancing, clapping, calling out and speaking tongues - ‘charismatic’ worship
15
Q
denominations that take part in informal worship
A
- quaker
- pentecostal
16
Q
why is informal worship important for christians?
A
- people can share readings and prayers and take an active part in church without the need of formal training
- service may have an emotional impact with the feeling of personal revelation from god
17
Q
examples of public worship
A
- celebrating festivals
- preaching
- singing hymns
- religious media
18
Q
what is quaker worship like?
A
- spend their worship mostly in silence and people only speak when moved by god to offer their thoughts or read from the bible
- claim to be inspired by the holy spirit
- has an emotional impact
19
Q
advantages of informal worship?
A
- everyone can get involved, not just the vicar
- can be done anywhere
- everyone can express themselves and their own beliefs
- everyone can express their direct experiences with god
20
Q
quotes for informal/non-liturgical worship
A
- “they worshipped together at the temple each day, met in homes for the lord’s supper, and shared their meals with great joy and generosity”
- “singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs among yourselves, and making music to the lord in your hearts”
- “come everyone, clap your hands! shout to god with joyful praise!”
- “i was dancing before the lord, who chose me above your father and all his family!”
21
Q
quotes about liturgical worship
A
- “when solomon finished making these prayers and petitions to the lord, he stood up in front of the altar, where he had been kneeling with his hands raised towards heaven”
- “paul and silas were praying and singing hymns to god”
22
Q
quotes about public worship
A
“all the believers were together and hand everything in common”
23
Q
quotes about private wroship
A
“but when you pray go into your room, close the door and pray to your father who is unseen”
24
Q
what is prayer?
A
communicating with god, either silently or through words of raise, thanksgiving, confession or requesting for guidance
25
why is prayer important?
- encourages reflection
- enables christians to talk to god
- gives strength in times of trouble
- gives a sense of peace
- helps christians keep a close relationship with god
- helps them to accept god's will even if it means suffering
26
what are set (formal) prayers?
prayers that have been written down and have been said repeatedly over time eg, the lord's prayer
27
what are informal prayers?
prayers that are made up by an individual using his or her own words (private prayer)
28
what is the lord's prayer?
- a prayer that jesus taught to his followers to pray
- it is seen as a good prayer as it combines praise and asking for god's help
- reminds people that god is the father of the whole chritian community and creates a sense of unity
- often used in worship and is always said during important events: baptisms, holy communion, weddings and funerals
"Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our sins
as we forgive those who sin against us.
Lead us not into temptation
but deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom, the power,
and the glory are yours
now and for ever.
Amen."
29
advantages and disadvantages of set prayers
+ uniform
+ can be said as a congregation
+ multipurpose
- impersonal
30
what is confession?
to ask for god's forgiveness
31
what is thanksgiving?
to thank god for all that he has given them
32
what is supplication?
to ask god for help (for yourself)
33
what is praise?
to tell god how wonderful he is
34
what is intercession?
to ask god to help others who are suffering
35
what is adoration?
showing devotion to and praising God for his greatness
36
quotes on prayer
- "for the eyes of the lord are on the righteous and his ears are attentive to their prayers"
- "and when you pray do not be hypocrites for they love to pray standing... to be seen by others"
- "this, then, is how you should pray 'our father in heaven hallowed be your name"
- "those who were in the boat worshipped him, saying "truly you are the son of god"
37
what are sacraments?
holy rituals through which believers receive a special gift of grace (free gift of god's love)
38
what is baptism?
the ritual through which a person becomes a member of the church. involves the use of holy water to symbolise the washing away of sin
39
what is an example of baptism in the bible?
- john baptised jesus
40
what is the trinitarian formula?
'i baptise you in the name of the father, and of the son and of the holy spirit, amen!"
41
why is baptism important to christians?
- seen as a powerful symbol of death and resurrection
- when baptised, the individual becomes cleansed from original sin
- they also receive gifts from the holy spirit
42
different denominations on sacraments
- catholic and orthodox christians recognise 7 sacraments: baptism, confirmation, holy communion, marriage, holy orders, reconciliation and the anointing of the sick (last rites)
- protestant churches recognise 2 sacraments: baptism and holy communion - because they believe jesus taught people how to undertake these
- some churches believe baptism to be important but not a 'sacrament'
- churchs like quakers do not see any ritual or ceremony as being a 'sacrament'
43
what are the benefits of being baptised?
- becomes a member of the christian church
- becomes a child of god
- receives god's saving grace and the holy spirit
- is cleansed of sin
- enters new life with the christian community and christ
- imitates the baptism of jesus by john
44
which denominations practice infant baptism and why?
catholic, orthodox, anglican, methodist and united reformed
- they believe it removes original sin
- allows the child to be welcomed into the christian community as soon as possible
- the parents are able to thank god for their new baby and celebrate with family
45
what happens during an infant baptism?
- the priest pours blessed water over the baby's head and says the trinitarian formula 'i baptise you in the name of the father, and of the son and of the holy spirit, amen!'
- god and parents promise to bring up the child as a christian
- the child is welcomed into the christianity
46
which denominations practice believers' baptism and why?
baptists and pentecostalists
- believe that people should be able to make a mature decision about their faith
- the decision to live a life with jesus is what saves a person, rather than the baptism itself
47
what happens during a believers' baptism?
- the person is fully immersed in a pool which symbolises cleansing from sin and rising to a new life in christ
- when asked whether they are willing to change their lives, the person gives a brief testimony of their faith in jesus
- the person is baptised 'in the name of the father, and of the son, and of the holy spirit'
48
what is holy communion/eucharist?
the sacrament that uses bread and wine to celebrate the sacrifice of jesus on the cross and his resurrection
it recalls the last supper
49
what is the meaning of the holy communion?
- to catholic, orthodox (and some anglicans) it is believed that the bread and wine are the blood and body of christ (transubstantiation). this means that jesus is fully present in the bread and wine. that is meant to help the believers share in jesus' saving sacrifice
- protestants celebrate holy communion as a reminder of the last supper but do not believe that the bread and win become the blood and body of christ. instead, they are symbols of god's sacrifice so that they believers can reflect [symbolic] - church of england, anglicans
50
quote about holy communion
"for whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the lord's death until he comes"
51
why is holy communion/eucharist important to for christians today?
- they receive grace by joining in jesus' sacrifice
- helps strengthen their faith and the become closer to god
- united as a community by sharing a meal
- provides support and encouragement for those going through a difficult time
- teaches christians about justice and treating each other equally
- reminds those of how lucky they are to have food and drink while others are suffering - sometimes money is collected to help the poor
52
how does the orthodox church celebrate holy communion?
- holy communion is called the divine liturgy and is believed to recreate heaven on earth
- much of the service is held at the altar
LITURGY OF THE WORD:
- hymns, prayers and bible reading
- priest comes through the royal door to chant the gospel
- may be a sermon
LITURGY OF THE FAITHFUL:
- priest receives bread and wine and then prayers are offered
- priest says the words of jesus at the last supper
- most of the bread is consecrated as the body and blood of christ
- the bread and wine are distributed and prayers of thanksgiving are said
- unconsecrated pieces of bread are given to people to take home as a sign of belonging to the community
53
how do the catholic and anglican churches celebrate holy communion?
- catholics believe that the bread and win turn into the blood and body of jesus; anglicans don't
LITURGY OF THE WORD:
- three bible readings, a psalm and a homily
- the creed is said
- prayers are said for everyone
LITURGY OF THE HOLY COMMUNION:
- anglican: people give a sign of peace to each other
- offering are brought to the altar
- priest repeats the words of jesus at the last supper over the offerings
- people say the lord's prayer
- catholic: give the sign of peace at this point
- people receive the bread and wine
- priest blesses people
54
what is a pilgrimage?
a journey made by a believer to a holy site for religious reasons. although it is a physical journey to a sacred place, it is also a spiritual journey towards god
55
why do people go on pilgrimages?
- to grow closer to god
- strengthen faith in god
- be forgiven for sin
- pray for something special
- to thank god for a blessing
- seek a cure for an illness
- to meet others of the same faith
56
how can a pilgrimage impact a christian's life?
- helps them get a better understanding of their faith
- helps them to feel cleansed from sin
- helps them to feel more connected to the christian community
- renews their enthusiasm for being a christian
- helps them see problems in a new light
57
examples of places of christian pilgrimages
- lourdes (a town in france)
- iona (an island off the coat of scotland)
58
what is the significance of lourdes?
- it where virgin mary is said to have appeared in a number of visions to a girl called bernadette
- mary told bernadette to dig in the ground and when she did, she found a spring
- the water in that spring is believed to have healing properties and a number of healing miracles are claimed to have taken place there
59
what do people do at lourdes?
- pilgrims go to lourdes to bathe in the waters of the spring or help pilgrims who are ill or disables to bathe in the waters
- pilgrims also pray for healing or forgiveness
- they may recite the rosary together
60
what is the significance of iona?
- it is where st.columba (from ireland where christianity started) established a monastic community in the 6th century AD
- it is an ecumenical site that puts an emphasis on prayer and thought
- the community now has a centre where pilgrims can stay
61
what do people do at iona?
- because it is quiet, they usually spend time praying, reading the bible or meditating
- they can also attend services in the abbey church, take part in worships and visit the island's holy or historic sites
62
what is christmas and how is it celebrated?
- christmas commemorates the incarnation of jesus which is the belief that god became human in jesus
+ lights represent jesus as the light coming unto the world of darkness
+ carol services with bible readings remind christians about god's promise of a saviour and the events of jesus' birth
+ midnight mass reflects the holiness of the night and the joy christians feel at jesus' birth
+ giving gifts and cards recalls the wise men's gifts to jesus
+ christians give to charity because god gave the gift of jesus to humanity
63
what is easter and how is it celebrated?
- easter celebrates jesus rising from the dead
+ HOLY WEEK: (the week before easter sunday) remembers the events leading up to jesus' crucifixion, including his arrest and trial
+ GOOD FRIDAY: (the day that jesus was crucified) there are special services and processions led by a person carrying a cross
+ on the saturday after good friday some churches hold a special vigil to celebrate christ's resurrection
- orthodox christians: walking with candles in procession into a dark place (like jesus' tomb) and the priest announces that christ has risen and the people answer
- catholics and anglicans have a vigil that begins in darkness before a paschal candle is lit to symbolise the risen christ. it ends with holy communion
+ EASTER SUNDAY: special hymns are sung to rejoice at jesus' resurrection. services are held at sunrise
64
quote about easter
"christ is risen from the dead , trampling down death by death, and upon those in the tomb bestowing life"
65
what do individual churches do for the local community?
- educate people about christianity
- are meeting places for prayer and worship
- provide youth clubs etc.
- are places where christians can socialise and obtain spiritual guidance
66
what does the church do for the local community?
- supports local projects such as food banks eg. the trussell trust - charity running 400 food banks in the UK
- provides social services such as schooling and medical care
- helps those in need
- campaigns for justice
67
quote on the church
"and god placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, which is his body"
68
why do christians believe they should help the local community?
jesus taught that people should show agape love (biblical word that means selfless, sacrificial and unconditional love)
christians put their faith into practice by helping/joining organisations that help others eg. street pastors - volunteers that are trained to patrol the streets and and help and advise people etc.
"faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead"
69
what is a mission?
a calling to spread the faith.
- the church has a mission to tell non-believers that jesus came into the world as its saviour
70
what is evangelism?
showing faith in jesus by example or by telling others - how christians spread their faith
they also train new converts in the way of following jesus
71
what is the great commission?
- jesus gave a great commission to his disciples to spread the gospel and make "disciples of all nations"
- all christians have a duty to tell others of their faith
"Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you."
72
what are evangelists or missionaries?
people who promote christianity eg. by going to foreign countries to preach or do charitable work
the aim of missionary work and evangelism is to persuade people to accept jesus as their saviour and to extend the church to all nations
73
an example of evangelism in britain
- alpha; an introductory course for those interested in learning about christianity
74
ways in which christians can help spread the faith
- advertising and media
- sharing what god has done for them
- inviting people to christian meetings and events
- praying for others to accept god
75
what is christ for all nations?
- a christian organisation promoting evangelism
- they do this by holding evangelistic meetings, particularly in africa
- have drawn in crowds of up to 1.6 million
76
what is reconciliation?
restoring relationships after they have broken down - the worldwide church has a mission to do this. they aim to restore relationships with god and each other through initiatives of peace and development
77
why do christians believe they have a mission to reconcile?
- christians believe humans reconciled to god through jesus' death and resurrection, which had been broken by sin
- catholics also believe in the sacrament of reconciliation - helping to restore one's relationship with god and with each other
- therefore, reconciliation is an important part of the church's work
78
quote on reconciliation and its importance
"for if, while we were god's enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life!"
79
examples of organisations working for reconciliation
- world council of churches - reconciliation of different christian denominations
- corymeela community - brings people of different backgrounds together
- irish churches peace project - brings catholics and protestants together in nothern ireland
80
what kind of persecution do christians face and where?
- north korea, somalia, iraq and syria
- being forced to pay extra tax; job discrimination; being forbidden to build churches; attacks on christian homes, churches and families
81
different christian views on persecution + quotes
- some believe persecution can have a positive effect: strengthening faith and conviction and sharing in the suffering of jesus. "i want to know christ - yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings"
- the church believes it is importan to act against persecution by supporting persecuted christians whenever possible. "if one part suffers, every part suffers with it"
- some christians believe that they are encouraged to show love and forgiveness to their persecutors. "do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good"
82
examples of way that the church has helped persecuted christians
- some have smuggled bibles into russia to strengthen and give comfort to persecuted christians
- barnabas fund sends money to support them
- christian solidarity worldwide campaigns for religious freedom for all
83
why do christians help those in poverty?
- jesus taught that it was important to do so
- there are many parables hinting at this; rich man and lazarus, good samaritan
"if anyone has material posessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of god be in that person? dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth"
84
example of a christian organisation that helps those on poverty
tearfund:
- works with 90,000 churches worldwide to help lift people out of poverty
- supplies emergency aid after natural disasters and conflict
- gives equipment to those who wish to become self-reliant eg. education
- supported by donations, fundraising events and prayer from UK churches.
85
quote for thanksgiving
"bless us o lord, and these your gifts, which we are about to receive from your bounty. through christ our lord. amen."
86
quote for thanksgiving
"bless us o lord, and these your gifts, which we are about to receive from your bounty. through christ our lord. amen."
87
"the most important duty of the church is to help those in need" (12)
for:
- helping those is an important duty for christians because jesus helped others during his lifetime and it is important to follow in his example
- faith without action is meaningless
- example; tearfund
against:
- most important could be evangelism: spreading the word of god or personal worship and prayer
88
what does non-conformist mean?
christian denominations that don't conform to the church of england
89
what are the two contrasting beliefs on the purpose of pilgrimage?
- looking for a miracle/healing
- to become closer to god through a journey
