christianity: practices Flashcards
why do christians worship?
- to praise and thank god
- to ask for forgiveness
- to seek god’s help for themselves or others
- to deepen their relationship with god and strengthen their faith
what are some different types of worship?
- liturgical worship
- non-liturgical worship
- informal worship
what is liturgical worship?
a church service that follows a set structure or ritual
what is non-liturgical worship?
a service that does not follow a set text or ritual
what is informal worship?
a type of non-liturgical worship that is ‘spontaneous’ or ‘charismatic’ in nature
what form does liturgical worship take?
- takes place in a church
- priest leads congregation and may perform symbolic actions
- formal prayers with set responses
- bible passages read out, may be a sermon
- music and hymns
what form does non-liturgical worship take?
- takes place in a church
- often focused on bible readings followed by sermon
- may have prayers and hymns but no set order, number and type can change week to week
what form does informal worship take?
- community or house churches meet in private homes and share food
- quaker worship mainly silent, people speak when moved by god to offer thoughts or read from bible
- ‘charismatic’ worship may involve dancing, clapping, calling out and speaking in tongues
what are examples of liturgical worship?
the Eucharist for Catholic, Orthodox and Anglican Churches
what are examples of non-liturgical worship?
services in non-Conformist churches, e.g. Methodist, Baptist, United Reformed
what are examples of informal worship?
community or house churches, Quaker worship, charismatic (‘led by the spirit’) worship of the Pentecostal Church
why is liturgical worship important for christians?
- worldwide set order for service (familiar to everyone)
- ritual passed through generations (sense of tradition)
- bible readings follow christian calendar and teach christian history/faith
why is non-liturgical worship important for christians?
- services can be planned and ordered to suit certain theme
- non-conformist churches place emphasis on word of god in bible
why is informal worship important for christians?
- style of worship in house churches similar to worship of early christians
- people can share readings and prayers and can take active part in church by calling out or speaking without formal training
- service may have emotional impact with feeling of personal revelation from god
why is prayer important?
- encourages reflection in the middle of busy life
- enables christians to talk and listen to god
- helps christians to keep close relationship with god
- helps christians to accept god’s will even if it means suffering
- gives sense of peace
- gives strength in times of trouble
what was jesus’ response when his disciples asked him to teach them how to pray?
he answered with the lord’s prayer
why do christians see the lord’s prayer as a model of good prayer?
it combines praise to god with asking for one’s needs
what does the lord’s prayer remind christians to do?
- forgive others in order to be forgiven
- that god is father of whole christian community
when/where is the lord’s prayer used?
- in worship
- nearly always said at holy communion, baptisms, marriages and funerals
- in schools and commemoration services in britain
what is a sacrament?
holy rituals through which believers receive a special gift of grace (free gift off god’s love)
how many sacraments do catholic and orthodox christians recognise?
7
how many sacraments do protestant churches recognise?
2
what do some churches e.g. quakers or Salvation Army see as sacraments?
they don’t see any ritual or ceremony as being a sacrament
what 7 sacraments do catholic and orthodox christians recognise?
- baptism
- confirmation
- holy communion
- marriage
- holy orders
- reconciliation
- anointing of the sick
what 2 sacraments do protestant churches recognise?
- baptism
- holy communion
what is baptism?
- the ritual through which a person becomes a member of the church
- involves use of water to symbolise washing away of sin
who is infant baptism for?
babies and young children
who is believers’ baptism for?
people who are old enough to understand the significance of the ritual
through baptism a person…
- imitates Jesus’ baptism by John the Baptist
- 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 christ in the Christian community
who is infant baptism practised by?
- catholic
- orthodox
- anglican
- methodist
- united reform
(…christians)
what are reasons for infant baptism?
- removes original sin (catholic/orthodox belief)
- allows child to be welcomed into church asap
- parents can thank god for new baby/celebrate with friends and family
what happens during infant baptism?
- priest/minister pours blessed water over baby’s head and says “I baptise you in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.”
- godparents/parents promise to bring child up christian
- child welcomed into christian community
who is believers’ baptism practised by?
- baptists
- pentecostalists
what are reasons for believers’ baptism?
- people should be old enough to consciously make mature decision about faith
- decision to live life dedicated to Jesus is what saves a person, rather than baptism itself
what happens during believers’ baptism?
- person fully immersed in pool which symbolises cleansing from sin and rising to new life in christ
- when asked whether willing to change their lives, person gives brief testimony of faith in Jesus
- person is baptised “in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.”
what is holy communion also known as?
the Eucharist
what does holy communion recall?
the last supper of Jesus
what do catholics, orthodox christians and some anglicans believe the bread and wine become and what does this mean?
- the body and blood of christ
- means Jesus is fully present in bread and wine; this is divine mystery that helps believers share in saving sacrifice of Jesus’ death and resurrection
what do protestant christians celebrate holy communion as?
- reminder of the last supper
- don’t believe bread and wine becomes blood/body of christ but that they’re symbols of Jesus’ sacrifice which helps believers reflect on its meaning today
quote for holy communion?
“For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.”
- 1 Corinthians 11:26
what is the impact of holy communion on individuals?
- christians receive god’s grace by joining in sacrifice of Jesus
- this helps to strengthen faith
- become closer to god
what is the impact of holy communion on communities?
- holy communion brings community of believers together. in unity by sharing bread and wine
- can provide support/encouragement for those going through difficult times
what is the impact of holy communion on wider society?
- acts as call to love other in practical ways
- encourages christians to work for equality and justice for all
- many churches collect money during service to help support those in need e.g. poor or homeless
what is holy communion called in the Orthodox Church?
the Divine Liturgy
in the Orthodox Church, what is the Divine Liturgy believed to recreate?
heaven on earth
where is much of the divine liturgy held?
- much of service held at altar behind iconostasis
- priest passes through iconostasis using royal doors
what is the iconostasis?
a screen that represents the divide between heaven and earth
what is the main difference between holy communion in catholic and anglican churches?
- very similar
- main difference is that catholics believe bread and wine turn into body and blood of christ, whereas many anglicans believe Jesus only present in spiritual way when bread and wine being eaten
what happens during the liturgy of the word during orthodox divine liturgy?
- hymns, prayers and bible reading
- priest comes through royal doors to chant gospel
- may be sermon
what happens during the liturgy of the faithful during the orthodox Divine Liturgy?
- priest receives wine and bread baked by church members
- prayers offered for church, local community and world
- behind iconostasis, priest says words of Jesus at last supper
- most bread is consecrated as blood and body of christ
- priest distributes holy Breda and wine on spoon
- prayers of thanksgiving said
- unconsecrated pieces of bread given to people to take home as sign of belonging to christian community
what happens during the liturgy of the word at catholic mass and anglican holy communion?
- three bible readings, a psalm and a homily
- the creed is said
- prayers said for church, local community, world and sick and dead
what happens during the liturgy of the eucharist at catholic mass and anglican holy communion?
- in anglican holy communion, people give sign of peace to each other
- offerings of bread and wine brought to altar
- priest repeats words of Jesus at last supper over bread and wine
- people say lord’s prayer
- in catholic mass, sign of peace given at this point
- people receive bread/wine
- priest blesses people and sends them out to live the gospel