Christianity - Practices Flashcards
Worship
-Is the way Christians show their love and respect for God It is important as: -It strengthens faith -God demand it -Purifies the worshipper
Liturgical worship
- Mostly Catholic, Orthodox and Anglican churches
- Services that follow a set pattern each time
- A priest leads formal prayers which have set responses
- Priest may perform symbolic actions which have a specific meaning
Non Liturgical worship
- Non conformist churches (Methodist, Baptist)
- No set order to services or rituals.
- The basic structure of the service may remain the same each week but the preach may change the order,number of hymns or types if prayer
- More focus on teaching the Bible
Informal worship
- Worship can include dancing and clapping
- Members of church congregation can lead service not just the priest
Private worship
Private worship allows individuals ti spend time with God, either alone or with close friends or family
-It may involve studying, prayer, meditation or using aids to worship such as an icon or a rosary
Prayer
- Christians believe that God will answer their prayers but not always in a way that a person expects
- Helps make Christians feel more connected with God
- Helps them to have strength and peace in difficult circumstances
Set prayer
- Form of words that have been written down and often read aloud in church services
- Can be hundreds of years old and memorised by christians
- May help them communicate with God when they are not sure what to say
Informal prayer
Spontaneous -Christians make up their own prayers to respond to needs in their own life
-By using their own words, Christians may feel that they can be more open to God
The lords prayer
- Set prayer that bible reports Jesus taught his disciples
- Gives Christians a pattern on how to pray
- Reminds them on the need to forgive others
- Often used in christian worship - read out loud in church, usually in liturgical worship services and in rituals like holy communion
Sacrament
Is a ritual which outwardly expresses an inner spiritual experience
Baptism
-A sacrament through which people can become members of the church. Water is used to symbolise the washing away of sin
People become baptised because:
-In bible Jesus was baptised and encouraged his disciples to do it too
-Person feels accepted into the Christian communtiy
-Symbolises a fresh start and publicly shows a person is Christian
Infant baptism
- Parents will bring their baby to Church to be welcomed into Church family and is also a way to thank God for new life
- Priest will pour water over baby’s head and use oil to make a cross on forehead. Baby’s parents and god parents will make promises to bring up child as a christian
Adult baptism
- Some Christians believe a person should choose to be baptised and a baby is not old enough to understand the meaning of baptism and that children should wait until old enough to make their own decisions
- Person publicly declares they are a christian and is then slowly submerged into water and brought back out again.
- This symbolises that they have died to their old life and are born again as a Christian
Eucharist (holy communion)
A sacrament which helps Christians remember and give thanks for Jesus sacrificial death. Bread is eaten to symbolise Jesus body and wine is drunk representing his blood
Christians celebrate communion because:
-Brings Christians together as one community
-Helps Christians feel closer to god as they remember what he has done to save them through Jesus
-Jesus commanded them to do it
Contrasting interpretations of the meaning of Eucharist
- Catholics/ Orthodox believe in transubstantiation (bread and wine become actual body and blood of Jesus)
- Divine mystery how it happens but they are present at death and Resurrection of Jesus
- Protestants believe bread and wine are symbols of Jesus body and blood
- Seen as an act of remembrance of Jesus words and actions at last supper as well as a chance tor reflect on the meaning of is death and Resurrection
