Christianity Practises

What is worship?

Acts of religious praise, honour or devotion. It is the way in which Christians show their deep love, reverence and respect for God. Jesus states that you should worship God in the spirit and in truth, meaning that your worship should not be superficial, but that you should worship God with all of your thoughts actions and words.

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==**“to keep the sabbath day holy.”**==

The word Sabbath comes from a Hebrew word that means “to rest from labor.” The word holy means something that is sacred or dedicated to God. God wants us to make Sunday, the Sabbath day, feel different from the other days of the week by resting from our normal daily routine and dedicating our thoughts to him.

Liturgical worship

Worship that follows a set structure and established rituals.

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@@**It may contain:**@@ The Liturgy of the Word, which is readings from the Bible. It also may contain: the liturgy of the Eucharist: where bread and wine is shared, and the Eucharist prayer and Lord’s prayer is said.

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@@**Advantages:**@@

Familiarity of the service makes them feel secure

They know what to expect

Rituals have been passed down for ; sense of tradition

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@@**Disadvantages:**@@

It's not authentic to you

Non-Liturgical worship

A service that does not follow a set text or ritual.

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==**EXAMPLE:**== Sermons, A speech made by a priest at church on Sunday morning that is intended to teach a religious lesson.

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==**Advantages:**==

Prayer can be more personal

More genuine and heartfelt

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==**Disadvantages:**==
Not as much structure
some do not like the randomness

lack of tradition

Informal woship

Some Churches have moved away from Liturgical worship to adopt a more informal approach, which does not have a set structure and is more spontaneous in nature.

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The ability to worship anywhere is emphasised here, rather than just the church building. As they believe the holy spirit is omnipresent.

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@@**EXAMPLE:**@@ music is popular, they do this to show their devotion to God.

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Evangelical Christians may clap or shout during a service at any point, as they worship God with their whole body, not just minds

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Quakers’ hold meetings, rather than services, in meeting houses. These last about an hour and have no set hymns or prayers or leaders. Chairs are often arranged in circle to show everyone worships as an equal. This worship is seen as a time for connection with God.

Private worship

A believer praises or honours God on their own.This can be either liturgical or non-liturgical. However, some people might move away from the key elements of prayer and become selfish prayers. Private worship can be an opportunity for Christians to explore a personal, individual connection with God.

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@@**FOR EXAMPLE:**@@ saying grace before a meal

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As society has changed and individuals have more freedom the idea of private worship has gained ground. Many now pray alone with family and do not gather in a Church. As attendance in the Church of England declined in 2016 to its lowest.

"let us worship and bow down; let us kneel before the Lord"

Worship quote

“Where two or more are gathered in my name, I am there with them.’

This quote supports worshipping God in a group context, as God will be present if you do.

“‘Go to your room, close the door and prayer to your father who is in heaven “

Worship quote

Hymns

A religious song or poem of praise to God

Prayer

communicating with God, either silently or through words of praise, Christians feel comforted and listened to.

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Prayer was at the heart of Jesus’ lifestyle and Christians believe it is an essential part of your faith.

Set prayers

These prayers allow Christians to learn and repeat prayers that have a significant meaning as they have been recited and read before. They allow it to become collective, so when recited with others their single voices become a communal voice.

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==**For example –**== the Lord’s Prayer, recited in almost every Christian service. Jesus instructed the disciples to pray by using the Lord’s Prayer. Most Protestants use the set prayers in ‘The book of Common Prayer’.

Informal prayer

==**informal prayers**== do not follow a set script and are instead expressed in a way that feels personal to the individual, using their own words and ideas.

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==**Quakers**== value the idea of being in God’s presence and sit in silence and in services. They believe this allows them the opportunity to reflect, which helps them become closer to other members of the congregation and to God.

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==**In the Pentecostal Church,**== worship is also informal and Christians feel they are moved by the Holy Spirit, enabling them to speak in tongues sometimes.

Why do Christians pray?

The bible tells Christians to pray to God, ==**"Pray without ceasing"**== or ==**"Never stop praying"**== Paul encourages the Thessalonian believers to pray continually.

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Prayer is a time for reflection, gives us strength to cope in times of suffering ,encourages a set of routine and discipline and, finding a comfort in times of suffering - Jesus in Gethsemane

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@@**ACTS I;**@@

**A**doration (to show love/respect for God)

**C**onfession (To repent for sins and ask for forgiveness)

**T**hanks (To say thanks to God for his gifts)

**S**upplication (To ask for something)

**I**ntercession (To pray for somebody who is ill)

"He began to be deeply distressed"

Jesus praying in the garden of Gethsemane before he is crucified, it shows the amount of trust Jesus has in God. Humans will take this example to bring comfort to their suffering by praying and worshipping God.

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Liturgy of the word

readings from Old Testament, the epistles and the gospels. Before the Gospel reading the priest makes the sign of the cross over the Bible.

Pilgrimage

This is an act of devotion and worship. A pilgrimage is a journey made for religious reasons, this can also be a spiritual journey rather than physical.

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Pilgrimage is not compulsory in Christianity, but many Christians choose to undertake journeys to holy sites to be healed or to deepen their connection with God, For example; Iona and Lourdes

"Strength is in you, whose hearts are set on pilgrimage."

Pilgrimage quote

Why do Christians go on pilgrimage?

Seek a cure for an illness
Grow closer to God
strengthen their faith
express sorrow for sin and be forgiven

The Lord's Prayer

These are the words Jesus used when he taught his disciples to pray. This prayer contains all four themes of ACTS and is used in many different types of worship across numerous denominations.

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==**"And lead us not into temptation, But deliver us from evil."**==

Sacraments

a religious ceremony or ritual regarded as imparting divine grace.

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==**For example,**== Baptism and Eucharist. Although there are a range of different sacraments, most Protestants only recognise these, as they were the only two documented in the Gospels as being practiced by Jesus.

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However, Quakers and the Salvation Army don’t believe in these two sacraments, as they believe that sacraments are an inward spiritual experience and that there is no need for external rituals.

Baptism - A type of sacrament

Many Christians believe that baptism is important because Jesus was baptised by John the Baptist, and after his resurrection he told his disciples that they should be baptised too. Baptism cleanses original sin.

"No one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water."

Baptism Quote

You are not able to enter heaven or eternal paradise if you are not baptised! Many Christians believe that baptising cleanses people from original sin.

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Baptism is practised by nearly all Christian denominations as it is seen as an instruction from God and a way of following Jesus’ example.

Infant baptism

Some Christians believe baptism makes you a member of God’s family. In many denominations babies are baptised, and this is known as infant baptism. However, some disagree with this as they think a believer should declare their own faith. Furthermore, Jesus himself was baptised as an adult.

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For Orthodox Christians, infant baptism involves total immersion. However, other denominations make the sign of the cross on baby’s head using oil and holy water on forehead

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Other elements to baptism, including promises made by godparents on behalf of the child. At the end of the ceremony the priest gives a lit candle to child’s guardians to keep for child, which symbolises receiving the light of Christ.

Jesus’ instructions were to @@"baptise in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit"@@, so these words are said during a baptism.

Baptism Quote

Baptise for God

Believers’ baptism

Baptists and Pentecostals believe baptism should only occur once somebody is an adult, the individual can accept Christianity for themselves. This is called believers’ baptism.

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It is done using total immersion, where the person being baptised walks down into a pool and is fully submerged three times before walking out into their new life.

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Prefer believers’ baptism because Jesus was baptised as an adult and as an adult, you can make decisions for yourself.

Why is baptism important?

It is a rite of entry that allows people to become members of the Christian Church. Many Christians believe original sin is removed through the act of baptism. It follows the personal example of Jesus who was baptised as an adult by John the Baptist. Believer’s baptism gives an individual an opportunity to publically claim their faith

‘We were buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead, we too may live a new life.’

Baptism links us directly with the death and resurrection of Jesus:

‘Go and make disciples of all nations, baptising them in the name of the father, Son and Holy Spirit’

Baptism quote

Eucharist - A sacrament

From a Greek meaning "thanksgiving", a service of thanksgiving in which the sacrificial death of Jesus is celebrated with the last supper, this is an example of non-liturgical worship

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Orthodox believe that Jesus is present in bread and wine. Baptists believe that the ritual is simply an act of remembrance – known as ‘memorialism’. Despite the differences, Christians believe this sacrament is important to spiritual health and to further a relationship with God.

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Holy Communion is a re-enactment of the Last Supper. The bread and wine are seen as symbolic of Jesus’ death.

“Eat: this is body which is given for you in remembrance of me."

Quote for Eucharist/holy communion

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Priests often say this before the ceremony; as Jesus said it to his disciples

Definition of transubstantiation and consubstantiation

@@**Transubstantiation:**@@ When Roman Catholics believe that the bread and wine actually become the body and blood of Christ.

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@@**Consubstantiation:**@@ The Lutherans (Protestant Reformers) concept of ‘sacramental union’ – that the body and blood of Jesus are somehow present ‘within’ the bread and wine.

Pilgrimage

A pilgrimage is a journey to a sacred place, usually an act of religious devotion. It has always been a practice in the Christian religion, where many pilgrims have travelled to the Holy Land to walk in Jesus’ footsteps. For Christians, a pilgrimage is faith in action – a journey representing the journey that all Christians undertake from earth to heaven.

Lourdes

Lourdes is a famous pilgrimage site in South Western France where the waters are believed to have healing powers. This place is much more crowded than Iona. This is the site of the vision of Mary. This is a place of healing and spirtual renewal

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In 1858, Bernadette Soubirous, a young local girl, was said to have seen the Virgin Mary. This vision was said to authentic by the catholic church. Bernadettes friend, Marie was healed of paralysis after visiting the grotto. Many pilgrims take the water home as they believe it has healing qualities.

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Bernadette was asked by the virgin mary to dig in the ground where the apparitions took place, after she told her to “go and drink at the spring”. Bernadette obeyed and a small stream of water began flowing beneath the surface. This is now knows as the “miraculous spring”

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Bernadette was made a saint by Pope Pius XI in 1933.

Iona

Iona is a quiet island in off the west coast of Scotland. This has been a centre of christian pilgramesince the 6th century when it was visityed by st columba who founded a monstary on the island. 130,000 people visit yearly

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The veil between the physical and spiritual world is thin here as people feel a sens of peace here

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Christians go there to study the Bible and pray, which may lead to spiritual growth. People often feel that they benefit from having their lives redirected or feel that they learn something about themselves while in Iona. This can allow Christians to face the challenges of life back at home in a different way.

Criticisms of pilgrimage

some Christians believe that the money spent could be better used helping those in need rather than paying for travel.

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Lourdes is often crowded with visitors, and many people say the site has become too commercialised, with shops selling souvenirs, including statues of the Virgin Mary.

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Some Christians feel that the benefits of the pilgrimage, like those felt at Iona, can be felt at home when praying.

Christmas

Christian churches often run events for those in need over Christmas, as the idea of Christmas is to spread love and peace. For example, a church might provide a space to give food and temporary shelter to people in need.

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A celebration of the birth of Jesus as told in the gospel of Matthew and Luke. This day does not fall on Jesus’ actual birthday but it focuses on the incarnation. Due to its importance, a period of time known as advent was set aside to allow Christians to prepare for Christmas. It begins four Sundays before Christmas and traditionally, many Christians fast during this time. The Eastern Orthodox Church still practices fasting, though Western Churches do not. Many people have advent calendars to count down the days

How do people celebrate Christmas?

Nativity plays in schools and churches.

Carol concerts with Christmas carols

Night mass on Christmas Eve

Some attend church services on christmas

Christingle - an orange with a candle

This shows Jesus as the “light of the world”

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However, Christmas is becoming more secular as school nativity plays have become winter concerts and the design of many Christmas cards show only fun or wintry aspects. Some now regard it as a ‘wintertime’ festival, rather than a religious one.

Lent

A period of 40 days leading up to Easter, remembering the time Jesus fasted in the desert praying. The devil tried to tempt him during this experience, but he resisted.

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It begins with Ash Wednesday, where Catholics attend a service where they are marked with black ashes in the shape of a cross on their forehead. Many Christians often give something up for lent to mark the fact Jesus fasted in the desert. The day before lent is known as Shrove Tuesday, which was an opportunity to use up the foods Christians would be giving up during lent.

Easter Sunday

This marks the day of Jesus’ Resurrection – it is a day of celebration. Christians attend special services and Churches are filled with flowers. Many exchange cards with family and friends, exchange Easter eggs, attend services during Lent, visit cemeteries to leave flowers for the deceased and complete personal readings of the Bible.

Holy week

This is the week that precedes Easter Sunday, when Christians remember the events in Jesus’ life that led to his death.

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Palm Sunday commemorates his arrival in Jerusalem – Catholics and Anglicans receive crosses made of palm leaves to remind them of this.

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Maundy Thursday reminds them of Jesus’ last meal with his disciples, where Jesus had bread and wine with them. To remember this, Christians often have Communion services (Mass).

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As Jesus also washed his disciples’ feet, some Catholic priests will often do this for his congregation. Good Friday remembers Jesus’ death on the cross – mourning services will be held and Catholics fast on this day.

Good Friday

Jesus’ crucifixion and death. Some Christians commemorate this with a day of fasting or by ending the Lent fast and eating hot cross buns

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Today, many churches hold services at a similar time to when Jesus died (3pm). Some Catholics may hold a procession called the Stations of the Cross, which re-enacts the final journey of Jesus when he carried his cross to his crucifixion. There is a series of 14 stops, all of which remind Catholics of the events that happened during Jesus’ final day.

Is the Christian Church declining?

The Christian Church faces many challenges today, as increasingly many religious beliefs and teachings are regarded as either out of date or irrelevant.

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Many more people now claim to be atheist and Christianity is only one of many religious traditions followed by people in Britain. Therefore, the religious landscape is becoming more pluralistic. Attendance at Church places has declined and the celebration of religious festivals have lost their religious significance, such as Christmas and Easter. Many people regard both celebrations as an impotent time to spend with family and friends, and cards and gifts are exchanged without any religious connection. They are therefore much more of a secular celebration.

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Despite the changes in the UK, it is important to recognise that Christianity is a world religion and is growing successfully in other parts of the world, such as Asia, South America and Africa. The Pew Research Centre estimates that by 2050, 4/10 Christians will live in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Describe the role of religion in education

About 1/3 of state funded schools in England & Wales are faith schools. Of the 7000 faith schools in England and Wales, 98% have a Christian character. All pupils must be taught religious education by law and schools should provide a daily act of worship.

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RE should reflect that the traditions of the UK are in the main Christian. However, many schools celebrate a variety of religious traditions throughout the year.

Describe some laws that have origins to Christianity

26 of the most senior Church of England Bishops are part of the UK parliament and for laws to be passed they must be approved by the bishops as well as the MPs. Meetings at parliament are opened with prayers and many laws reflect Christian 10 commandments: ‘Do not kill/steal’.

Describe some traditions and festivals that have origins to Christianity

@@‘Keep holy the Sabbath day’@@ – shop hours are restricted on a Sunday. In UK court of law, witnesses giving evidence are asked to swear they are telling the truth – they often do this on the Bible or their own holy books. If they are nonreligious, they can make a ‘witness affirmation’, where they promise to tell the truth.

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Christian hymns and readings are often made a public events – National Service of Remembrance. Lots of people mark marriage in a church, even if they aren’t religious.

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Many of our festivals have their foundations in Christianity: The Christians calendar influences UK public holidays – Christmas and Easter. School holidays fall over these periods and many businesses will close.

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The 2011 census revealed the UK to be pluralistic. Today, many people of other religions may take time off school or work to celebrate their own festivals. For example, Eid al-Fitr in Islam where 75,000 people gather in Birmingham to celebrate the end of fasting during the month of Ramadan. Non-religious groups such as Humanists might recognise World Humanist Day.

The role of the Church - local community

Many Christians work to help communities become better places. They see this as putting Christian faith into action. Jesus spent a lot of time helping those in need, and Christians try to reflect Jesus’ deeds in their actions.

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Primarily, the Church is a place of worship, but they reach out to communities in different ways. Some services Churches provide are religious in nature. For example, Baptisms, marriages etc.

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However, lots of churches have a church hall which can be used for a range of activities including: food banks, summer fetes, emergency shelters, youth clubs, family and community centres, cubs and brownies for all faiths. Churches are open all day for reflection, and services are held with all being made welcome. In this way, churches can help those who are lonely and provide support.

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Some Christians volunteer as street pastors, going out onto the streets at night to care for those in need and those who are at risk of harm.

Evangelism - The worldwide church

The way in which the gospel is spread. Christians hope by telling others about Jesus’ message, many will be converted to the Christian Faith. For many, evangelism is best shown through: mission, church growth, fellowship and fresh expression

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However, today, many would debate the ethics of converting people to Christianity, as in an increasingly pluralist society many think you should be respectful of peoples faiths rather than trying to encourage people to change religion.

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@@**For example,**@@ Gideons International, an association of evangelical Christians, donates copies of the Bible to hotels and hospitals in the UK and around the world.

Church Growth, Fellowship, Fresh Expression

==**Church Growth:**== In January 2016, it was reported that CoE attendance has dropped to its lowest level ever – below one million. However, some Churches, especially evangelical are thieving in Britain in recent years. Some Evangelical Churches have evangelised through ‘Church Planting’ – the process of establishing non-traditional Churches.

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==**Fellowship,**== started in London in 1974, aims to do this and they have established new churches across London and Kent and have links with Churches across the UK and abroad.

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==**Fresh Expression**== is a movement within the CoE, who have tried to change the way churches and congregations meet and worship to attract people to the Church. One example is a café church, where people will meet to talk about their faith and have refreshments. This can take place in a Church building, or workplaces, gyms or the beach.

Mission

According to the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus told his disciples that they should spread his message throughout the world and should try to convert people to Christianity.

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Missionaries spread the Christian message abroad, not necessarily only through preaching, but through their actions too - for example, helping with development projects. This is how Christianity as it is known today has spread across the globe.

Tearfund

Tearfund is a Christian evangelical Charity that gives help to the poor in many countries and aims to end hunger globally. It currently works in over 50 countries, providing emergency aid when natural disasters occur and carrying out long term projects to support local communities. It raises public awareness of social issues such as poverty and discrimination.

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It also gives practical help in order to act out the teachings of Jesus to help others and encourages self-help for individuals and communities. In Columbia, they have worked with children and teenagers and set up 30 sports clubs for football training, providing safe places for young people to socialise away from the risk of joining gangs. Further, they offer mentoring to equip them with life skills. Tearfund has set up over 67,000 churches.

"If anyone has material possessions and ignores his brother in need, how can he love God?"

"Love your neighbour as yourself."

“treat others as you would like to be treated”

“Who have two coats, give one to the man who has none’.

This quote influenced Christians to support charities, They try to follow Jesus’ command: ‘@@Love your neighbour’@@ and @@‘Treat others as you would like to be treated’@@. They also try to put into action the unconditional or selfish love that Jesus discusses – @@‘agape’@@ love. They also follow religious texts about charity: ‘@@Those who have two coats, give one to the man who has none’.@@

The Salvation Army

Christian charitable organisation. Sets up food kitchens, toy collections at Christmas and offers an advice network.

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Set up affordable nurseries so that parents of young children can return to work easily and provide for family. It also runs summer camps and after-school clubs to provide children with a safe environment to gain independence and life skills.

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Seeks to represent the vulnerable and attends political conferences. It provides addiction support and fights to end modern-day slavery, and provides support for elderly, such as activities to prevent old people from feeling isolated.

CAFOD

The Catholic Agency for Overseas Development (CAFOD) works to fight poverty and injustice around the world. It works through churches in places that have suffered natural disasters, aiming to give people the skills to help themselves.

Christian Aid

Christian Aid was set up after WW2 to help refugees in Europe. It now works in disaster zones around the world.

During Christian Aid Week, they ask each household in the UK to give money to help continue its work to end poverty throughout the world. Christian Aid projects often use the skills of local people to improve life for the community.

"make disciples of all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit."

largest world faith in Europe for a long time, so today its spread in Europe is slow. However, there is rapid growth in South America and Africa, where missionaries have spent time working for social justice and setting up churches.

Persecution of Christians past and present

Persecution is ‘persistently cruel treatment, often due to religion or belief’.

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Persecution of Christians has always taken place, and many Christians have become known as ‘matrys’. This is used for someone who has died or is killed for their religious faith.

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Jesus himself was a martyr and he warned his disciples that they would be persecuted for their faith – they were all martyred. Christians believe that when given a divine commission from Jesus to evangelise, this may be in the face of danger.

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In some parts of the world, Christians are treated unjustly in societies where Christianity is at a minority - Terrorist organisations like ISIS have taken Christians homes from them and violently attacked them. Evangelical organisations seek to help persecuted Christians:

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@@**Open Doors:**@@ Established in 1955, when Brother Andrew – a Dutch missionary, smuggled Bibles into the Soviet Union. Today, it helps persecuted Christians by distributing Bibles, providing practical support for Christians who have been the victims of disasters, speaking on behalf of persecuted Christians to raise awareness of their situation and to gather support and training Christians and Church leaders to deal with the trauma they may be suffering while maintaining their faith.

"Blessed are the Peacemakers."

Quakers, are pacifists or believe in non-violence. Reconciliation is important for Christians, believe everybody should aim for. Christians act as mediators to help bring an end to conflicts.

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An example is Archbishop Desmond Tutu, who tried to bring together black and white people in South Africa following the end of apartheid, When Nelson Mandela became president of South Africa, Archbishop Tutu chaired the Truth and Reconciliation Committee, where the perpetrators of terrible crimes met with and were forgiven by their victims.

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Christians believe that they should follow the teachings in the Parable of the Sheep and Goats. However, it is important that all of these actions are done with love, as St Paul said, If I give all that I possess to the poor, but do not have love, I gain nothing.