Christian worship

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Monument honoring the right to worship, Washington, D.C.
Monument honoring the right to worship, Washington, D.C.

In Christianity, worship has been considered by most Christians to be the central act of Christian identity throughout history. Many Christian theologians have defined humanity as homo adorans, that is, the "worshipping man," and thus the worship of God is at the very core of what it means to be human. Opinions have, however, run a gamut - and continue to do so - about the relative importance of formal or ritual worship, spontaneous praise and prayer, and the expression of praise integrated with daily life.

Contents

[edit] History

[edit] Overview

Throughout most centuries of Church history, Christian worship has been primarily liturgical, characterized by prayers and hymns , whose texts were rooted in, or closely related to, the Scripture, and particularly the Psalter. Set times for prayer during the day were established (based substantially on Jewish models), and a festal cycle throughout the Church year governed the celebration of feasts and holy days pertaining to the events in the life of Jesus, the lives of the saints, and aspects of the Church's perception of God.

A great deal of emphasis was placed on the forms of worship, as they were seen in terms of the Latin phrase lex orandi, lex credendi ("the rule of prayer is the rule of belief")—that is, the specifics of one's worship express, teach, and govern the doctrinal beliefs of the community. To alter the patterns and content of worship were to change the faith itself. Thus even though there was always a certain amount of variety in the early Church's liturgical worship, there was also a great deal of unity. Each time a heresy arose in the Church, it was typically accompanied by a shift in worship for the heretical group. Orthodoxy in faith also meant orthodoxy in worship, and vice versa. Thus, unity in Christian worship was understood to be a fulfilment of Jesus' words that the time was at hand when true worshippers would worship "in spirit and in truth" (John 4:23).

[edit] Early Church Fathers

The very early development of Christian worship is lost in the mists of history, but Christian worship is, in general, rooted in the worship of Judaism of the Second Temple period. The Gospels and the Acts of the Apostles present the very early Christians, then still very much a part of the Jewish scene, as frequenting both the Temple and synagogues, as well as worshipping in private homes, frequently to "break bread," a term which connotes both the sharing of a meal and, within that context, celebrating the Eucharist. Acts 2:42 presents the very early Church of Jerusalem as "continuing in the Apostles' teaching and fellowship [or "communion], the breaking of bread, and the prayers."

Psalms and hymns based on them were a regular feature of Jewish worship in the synagogues, and these were also incorporated into Christian hymns. The Psalms are still frequently quoted and paraphrased in nearly all the different Christian traditions and denominations.

[edit] Medieval practices

[edit] Reformation liturgies

Worship as singing underwent great changes for some Christians with the Protestant Reformation. Martin Luther, a music lover, composed hymns that are still sung today, and expected congregations to be active participants in the service, singing along.

John Calvin, in Geneva, argued that while instrumental music had its time with the Levites of the Old Testament, it was no longer a proper expression for the church. This was expanded upon by John Knox (see Presbyterian worship); only Psalms were sung, and they were sung A cappella. Furthermore, in the Genevan and Scottish Reformed tradition, man-made hymns are not sung, being seen inferior to the God-inspired psalms of the Bible. The Calvinist Regulative Principle of Worship distinguishes traditional Presbyterian and Reformed churches from the Lutheran or other Protestant churches.

[edit] Contemporary worship

A modern worship session in a larger contemporary Western church will often include a session of music with a live band, guitars,keyboards, drums and several vocalists.
A modern worship session in a larger contemporary Western church will often include a session of music with a live band, guitars,keyboards, drums and several vocalists.

In general, worship for the Eastern churches and for the Catholic and Anglican churches in the West is centered in regular celebration of the Lord's Supper, celebrated by a priest with more or less participation from the whole body of believers present. This tradition, variously known as the Mass, Divine Liturgy, Eucharist or Communion, continues in the Anglican branch of the church and among some Protestants. A worship service in these traditions is centered on the sharing of bread (or bread and wine, or substitutes for them) although it also includes prayer, the reading of Scripture, and usually song and some form of teaching or sermon.

In many Protestant traditions, however, Communion is celebrated only occasionally or not at all, and corporate worship is centered on a formal sermon, which may resemble a lecture or a passionate exhortation. Worship in such a context also generally is defined by spoken prayer (either spontaneous or prepared), liturgical recitations, Scripture, and music, particularly hymns.

Generally, although not always, worship of the former kind follows the rubrics set out by authority in a prayer book or similar guide, while worship of the latter kind either is spontaneous or follows socially defined norms and the tastes of the minister or other individual who is leading the service.

In virtually all Christian traditions, this regular public worship is complemented by other forms of worship, such as individual meditation, prayer and study, small group prayer (often linked with Bible study), and formal ceremonies on special occasions, including weddings, funerals and events of Church or state.

[edit] Types of Christian worship

[edit] Sacraments, Ordinances, Holy Mysteries

[edit] Other Liturgical Traditions: Non-Sacraments

See also: Christian liturgy

[edit] Major collections

[edit] Non-Liturgical traditions

[edit] Prayer

[edit] Psalms

[edit] Profession of Faith

[edit] Other

[edit] Music

[edit] Chant

[edit] Classical & Baroque

[edit] Modern

[edit] Contemporary

[edit] Holidays and seasons

Main article: Liturgical year

The most popular religious holidays in the Christian calendar are Christmas, which is preceded by the Advent season, and Easter, called by the Greek word "Pascha" (Πάσχα) among some Eastern Christians, which follows Lent (Great Lent in the Eastern tradition) and Holy Week. While Christmas is very popular, especially in Western countries, Easter is liturgically by far the most important celebration.

[edit] See also

Theological aesthetics

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