Re Christianity pratices

• Worship


  The act of religious praise, honour or devotion. It is a way for Christians to show their deep love and honour to God.
• Forms of worship


  • Liturgical
  • Non-liturgical
  • Informal
  • Private
• Private worship


  When believers praise or honour God in their own home
• Why do Christians worship?

  • To praise and thank God
  • To ask for forgiveness
  • To seek God's help for themselves or others
  • To deepen the relationship with God and strengthen the love
• Liturgical worship


  Takes place in a church, led by a priest, may include formal prayers, hymns, symbolic actions
• Non-liturgical worship


  Informal, focused on the word of God in the Bible, may involve sharing readings and prayers, people can take an active part
• Importance of liturgical worship

  • Worldwide set order for service that is familiar to everyone
  • Ritual passed down through generations gives a sense of tradition
  • Bible readings follow the Christian calendar and teach Christian history
  • Services can be planned and ordered to suit a certain theme
• Importance of non-liturgical worship

  • Emphasis on the word of God in the Bible
  • Style of worship is similar to the early Christians
  • People can share readings and prayers and can take an active part without formal training
  • Service may have an emotional impact with a feeling of personal revelations from God
• The Lord's Prayer is the prayer Jesus taught to his disciples
• The Lord's Prayer


  • Combines praise to God with asking for one's needs
  • Reminds Christians to forgive others in order to be forgiven
  • Reminds Christians that God is the Father of the whole Christian community, creating a sense of unity
• The Lord's Prayer is often used in worship and is nearly always said at Holy Communion, baptisms, marriages and funerals. It is also used in schools and in commemoration services in Britain.
• Private worship has more meaning for a Christian than public worship
• Sacraments


  Holy rituals through which believers receive a special gift of grace (gift of God's love)
• Baptism


  The ritual through which a person becomes a member of the Church, using water to symbolise the washing away of sin
• Sacraments recognised by different Christian denominations

  • Catholic and Orthodox: 7 sacraments (baptism, confirmation, Holy Communion, marriage, Holy Orders, reconciliation, anointing of the sick)
  • Protestant: 2 sacraments (baptism, Holy Communion)
  • Some churches: baptism is important but not a sacrament
  • Some churches: no rituals or ceremonies are sacraments
• Infant baptism


  For babies and young children
• Believers' baptism


  For people old enough to understand the significance of the ritual
• Meaning of baptism


  • Becomes a member of the Christian Church
  • Washed of sin
  • Becomes a child of God
  • Receives God's saving grace and the Holy Spirit
• Holy Communion (Eucharist)


  Sacrament that uses bread and wine to celebrate the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross and his resurrection
• Meanings of Holy Communion for different Christians

  • Catholic, Orthodox, some Anglicans: Bread and wine become the body and blood of Christ, helps believers share in the saving sacrifice
  • Protestant: Bread and wine remain symbols of Jesus' sacrifice, helps believers reflect on its meaning
• Impact of Holy Communion

  • Individuals receive God's grace, strengthens their faith, brings them closer to God
  • Communities: brings believers together in unity, provides support and encouragement
  • Wider society: acts as a call to love others in practical ways, encourages work for equality and justice
• Holy Communion services have two parts: the ministry of the Word (focus on the Bible) and the ministry of Holy Communion (consecrating and sharing of bread and wine)
• Differences in Holy Communion services

  • Orthodox: Divine Liturgy, much of service held at the altar behind the iconostasis
  • Catholic and Anglican: very similar, difference is Catholics believe bread and wine turn into body and blood while many Anglicans believe spiritual presence
  • United Reformed Church: open table, bread sometimes cut beforehand or broken and passed around, wine sometimes non-alcoholic
• Pilgrimage is a journey made by a believer to a holy site for religious reasons
• Purposes of pilgrimage


  • To give thanks
  • To renew their faith
  • To help the poor
  • To help themselves
• Places of pilgrimage


  • Lourdes (a town in France)
  • Iona (an island off the coast of Scotland)
• Holy Communion


  Ritual in Christianity where bread and wine are consumed to commemorate the Last Supper
• Holy Communion service


  1. Bread is cut beforehand or broken and passed around

  2. Wine is sometimes non-alcoholic and distributed in small cups

  3. Service ends with prayer of thanksgiving, blessing, and encouragement to serve God
• Pilgrimage


  A journey made by a believer to a holy site for religious reasons
• Pilgrimage


  • It is a physical journey to a sacred place and a spiritual journey towards God
  • It provides opportunities for prayer and worship, and is an act of worship and devotion
• Christian pilgrimage sites


  • Lourdes (town in France)
  • Iona (island off coast of Scotland)
• Reasons for going on a pilgrimage

  • Meet others who share the same faith
  • Experience a holy place
  • Grow closer to God
  • Strengthen faith in God
  • Be forgiven for sin
  • Reflect on one's life
  • Seek a cure for illness
  • Thank God for a blessing
  • Help other pilgrims who are disabled or ill
• Impact of pilgrimage


  • Give better understanding of faith
  • Renew enthusiasm for living Christian life
  • Help see problems in new light
  • Feel cleansed from sin
• There is no difference between a pilgrimage and a holiday
• A pilgrimage is a spiritual journey that people undertake for religious reasons, rather than just to sightsee
• Christmas


  Festival that commemorates the incarnation and birth of Jesus
• Easter


  Most important Christian festival that celebrates Jesus' resurrection from the dead
• Easter celebrations


  1. Holy Week remembers events leading up to Jesus' crucifixion

  2. On Saturday night, some churches hold service to celebrate Christ's resurrection

  3. On Easter Sunday, churches are filled with flowers and special hymns are sung to rejoice at Jesus' resurrection
• Christmas is no longer a religious festival
• Church


  The holy people of God, also called the Body of Christ, among whom Christ is present and active