RS - Christianity - Practices

• Worship


  The act of religious praise, honour or devotion
• Worship is a way for Christians to show their deep love and honour to God
• Reasons why a Christian worships


  • To ask for forgiveness
  • To seek God's help for themselves
  • To strengthen their faith
  • To praise and thank God
  • To deepen their relationship with God
• Types of worship


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


  A church service that follows a set structure or ritual
• Non-liturgical worship


  A service that does not follow a set text or ritual, can be planned to suit a certain theme, focused on Bible readings
• Informal worship


  A type of non-liturgical worship that is spontaneous or charismatic in nature, where people can take an active part
• Private worship


  When believers praise or honour God in their own home
• Prayer


  Communicating with God - silently, words of praise, thanksgiving or confession, or requests for God's help or guidance
• Types of prayer


  • Set prayers
  • Informal prayers
• Set prayers


  Prayers that have been written down and said more than once by more than one person, e.g. Lord's Prayer
• Informal prayers


  Prayers made up by an individual using their own words
• Prayer encourages reflection in a busy life, gives strength in times of trouble, gives a sense of peace, enables Christians to talk and listen to God, helps Christians to keep a close relationship with God, helps Christians to accept God's will even if it means suffering
• Lord's Prayer


  A model of good prayer, combines praise to God with asking for one's needs, reminds Christians to forgive others in order to be forgiven, reminds that God is the father of the whole Christian community, creates a sense of unity when whole congregation says it together
• Sacraments


  Holy rituals where believers receive a special gift of grace (free gift of God's Love)
• Catholic sacraments


  • Baptism
  • Confirmation
  • Holy Communion
  • Marriage
  • Holy Orders
  • Reconciliation
  • Anointing of the sick
• Protestant sacraments


  • Baptism
  • Holy Communion
• Baptism


  The ritual through which a person becomes a member of the church, involves the use of water to symbolise the washing away of sin
• Effects of baptism


  • Becomes a child of God
  • Becomes a member of the Christian Church
  • Imitates Jesus' baptism by John the Baptist
  • Is cleansed of sin
  • Enters new life with Christ in the life of the Christian community
• Types of baptism


  • Infant baptism
  • Believer's baptism
• Infant baptism


  Catholic and Orthodox practice, removes original sin, allows child to be welcomed into the Church and receive God's saving grace and the Holy Spirit
• Believer's baptism


  Baptist practice, people are old enough to make a mature, conscious decision about their faith, are fully immersed in a pool, give a brief testimony of their faith in Jesus
• Holy Communion


  The sacrament that uses bread and wine to celebrate the sacrifice of Jesus and his resurrection, recalls the Last Supper of Jesus
• Meaning of Holy Communion


  • Catholics and Orthodox believe the bread and wine become the body and blood of Christ, it is a divine mystery that helps believers share in the sacrifice of Jesus
  • Protestants celebrate it as a reminder of the Last Supper, the bread and wine remain symbols of Jesus' sacrifice
• Impact of Holy Communion


  • For individuals - receive God's grace by joining in Jesus' sacrifice, strengthens their faith
  • For communities - brings the community of believers together in unity, provides support and encouragement
  • For wider society - acts as a call to love others in practical ways, encourages work for equality and justice
• Parts of a Holy Communion service


  • Ministry of the Word (focuses on Bible readings)
  • Ministry of Holy Communion (offering, consecrating, sharing of bread and wine)
• Liturgies of Holy Communion


  • Orthodox 'Divine Liturgy'
  • Catholic and Anglican 'Mass'
  • United Reformed 'Holy Communion'
• All Christians repeat the words of Jesus at the Last Supper, share in his sacrifice and reflect
• Pilgrimage


  A journey made by a believer to a holy site for religious reasons, a spiritual journey towards God
• Reasons for going on pilgrimage

  • To be forgiven for sin
  • To strengthen faith in God
  • To reflect on one's life
  • To help other pilgrims who are disabled or ill
  • To pray for something special
  • To renew enthusiasm for Christian faith
  • To understand faith better
• Places of Christian pilgrimage


  • Lourdes - where St Bernadette received visions of Mary and a spring with healing properties
  • Iona - where St Columba established a monastic community, now an ecumenical centre
• Festival


  A day or period of celebration for religious reasons, helps Christians remember and celebrate major events in their religion
• Christian festivals


  • Christmas - commemorates the incarnation of Jesus
  • Easter - celebrates Jesus' rising from the dead, most important Christian festival
• Christians believe Christmas is a time of peace and goodwill
• Events of Easter


  • Good Friday - remembers the day Jesus was crucified
  • Holy Week - remembers the events leading up to Jesus' crucifixion
  • Easter Sunday - celebrates Jesus' resurrection, churches filled with flowers and hymns
• The Church is the holy people of God, the Body of Christ, where Christ is present and active
• Ways the church helps the local community

  • Provision of food banks
  • Providing activities for younger people
  • Creating places for socialising and obtaining spiritual guidance
  • Educating people about Christianity
• Easter

  Remembers the events leading up to Jesus' crucifixion
• Good Friday


  1. Day Jesus was crucified

  2. Special senses, processions

  3. Lead by person carrying a cross
• Easter Sunday


  1. Churches filled with flowers, hymns are sung

  2. Rejoice Jesus' resurrection