Practices

RS P2- Christian Practices

how did the Christian church start

Jesus was crucified, resurrected and ascended to heaven, leaving 12 disciples to spread the word; this chain repeated as they died and were replaced by others

when did empire became Christian, the emperor of this empire and when

• 312CE

• emperor Constantine of Rome became Christian and so therefore helped the spread of Christianity

name of the first big split of the Christian church and the two denominations that came from it

• the Great Schishm

• split into Catholic, and Greek + Russian Orthodox

after the Great Schism, what was the next big split of the Christian church, the year and by whom

• 1517 Martin Luther, priest, objected to how the Catholic church ran the religion

• had 95 objections

• reformation; split the Catholic church and created Protestantism, leading to many other denominations, beginning with Lutheranism

when did Henry VIII break from the church and what new denomination did he form

• 1534

• he broke away from the Pope as he wanted divorce, and created his own church

• Methodist/CofE

what do all Christians believe

• Bible

• one God

• teachings of Jesus (different teachings though; some Christians didn’t believe Jesus was God)

worship definition

an expression of adoration and praise for God

three types of worship

• liturgical

• informal

• personal/private/individual

liturgical worship definition

a church service that flows a set structure of ritual

what denominations have liturgical worship

• Catholics

• some CofE

how are some CofE liturgical

rooted in Thomas Cranmer’s ‘Exhortation and Litany’ of 1554 which outlines how church services should take place

common characteristics of liturgical worship

• set structure which is more or less the same every time

• prayers are read or sung from a book

• the priest leads the congregation (but other people may read the Bible passages”

example of a form of liturgical worship and what happens in it

• Eucharist

• Liturgy of the Word (readings from the Bible)

• public profession of faith

• prayers of intercession

• may also contain Liturgy of the Eucharist (altar prepared with bread and wine; Eucharist prayer and Lords Prayer said and people share the bread and wine)

quote to do with liturgical worship

“where two or more are gathered in my name, I am there with them”

informal worship definition

a service that does not follow a set text, structure or ritual

denominations which have informal worship

• spontaneous- Quakers

• charismatic- Evangelical

key characteristics of informal worship

• no set structure, more spontaneous

• individual members of the congregation may pray out loud

Quaker beliefs about the Eucharist

believes it prevents connection with God

individual/private prayer definition

when a person honours God alone

examples of individual prayer and their denominations

• confession- Catholic

• praying- non-set prayer

individual/private worship characteristics

• can be liturgical and follow a set pattern of praying, Bible readings and rituals

• can be non-liturgical, meaning it does not follow any set pattern

• e.g. saying prayers of thanks before a meal, reading a passage from the Bible every day, saying set prayers using a rosary

• opportunity for Christians to explore their personal relationship with God

5 different ways that Christians worship

• prayer

• humns/songs; not all do (e.g. Quaker), and some churches more lively e.g. Evangelical and CofE

• help others (Jesus helped others); forgiveness and charity

• follow teachings of Jesus

• read the Bible; Bible study groups, individually, church services

types of prayer and definition (7)

• adoration- deep love and respect for God

• meditation- quiet reflection

• intercession- asking for something for others

• penitential/confession- saying sorry

• praise- expressing respect and gratitude

• thanksgiving- saying thank you for something

• supplication/petition- asking for something for yourself

different ways Christians listen to God

• conscience- spirit speaking to them

• interactions with others e.g. church services

• reading the Bible

• one of main Reformation principles was that each Christian is their own priest; all have direct access to God through Christ; they do not have to go to a priest

three forms of prayer

• set prayers

• extemporaneous prayers

• informal prayers

set prayers definition and examples

• learnt and repeated prayers which enable Christians to pray collectively, with a communal voice e.g. the Lords Prayer (Catholic and Anglican)

where do Protestants get their set prayers from

use set prayers from the Book of Common prayer

advantages of set prayers

• everyone can learn them

• can say collectively; sense of togetherness and community in faith

disadvantages of set prayers

• less personal; not from the heart

• could exclude those who do not know the prayer

• more rehearsed

extemporaneous prayer definition and denominations that do this

nonformulaic and spontaneous, showing spiritual honesty; many believe their words are influences by the Holy Spirit

Quakers and Evangelicals

advantages of extemporaneous prayers

• everyone can learn them

• more open to hearing God’s will

• more relevant; deeper, more personal connection to God

disadvantages of extemporaneous prayer

• cant say collectively

• lose a sense of togetherness

• may not be the norm for some churches e.g. catholics

informal prayers definition and example

speaking to God in more day-to-day language e,g. using dad instead of father

examples of denominations and their informal prayer

• quaker- sit individually in silent contemplation to be closer to God

• pentecostal- feel like they are moved by the Holy Spirit, enabling them to sometimes speak in tongues

• movement required; often has music, singing and dancing

advantages of informal prayer

allows for anyone to connect with God e.g. children

disadvantages of informal prayer

• devaluing God

• not giving full respect

quote to do with extemporaneous prayer

“true worshippers will worship the Father in spirit and truth”

quote to do with prayer (individual)

“go to your room, close the door and pray to your Father who is in heaven”

what is prayer like for Quakers

• listening in quiet prayer time; listening important

• don’t need to dress up formally, you can be comfortable

• children and young people welcome

• enter simple Quaker house in silence and find a place in the room; can sit anywhere

• open yourself to God

• no sermon, hymns or Bible reading; quiet time in personal prayer with God

• people speak when God speaks to them; may dance, walk or sing a message

• community; coffee, tea, and catch up

• no pre-arranged prayers (non-liturgical)- you also pray outside of meetings

what is Evangelical prayer like

• non-liturgical, informal services and focus on the Bible and adoration of God

• attract huge congregations and large auditoriums are often used

• often feature pop-style music played with instruments

• many evangelicals believe the Holy Spirit is present when they worship, actively inspiring what happens during the services; spontaneous and unpredicted

sacrament definition

a ceremony that Christians believe brings them closer to God and helps them to receive God’s grace; visible signs of God’s grace, which is otherwise invisible

protestant sacraments and why

• only baptism and eucharist are sacraments

• Protestants believe only in the sacraments performed by Jesus in the Gospels

catholic sacraments

• recognises seven sacraments, performed at special or challenging times in a person’s life when there is a particular need for God’s grace

• not everyone can fulfil all the sacraments during their life; some people won’t get married or become priests as women cannot become one

what are the seven catholic sacraments and description of what they are

• baptism= bathing/dipping the person inside special/holy water in the presence of a priest to cleans and bring one closer to God; some denominations baptise babies and some adults (baptists)

• reconciliation (confession)- confessing and apologising for sins to a priest, who gives forgiveness on behalf of God after the confessor performs a penance

• Eucharist- re-enactment of the Last Supper (wafer and wine to represent Jesus’ body and blood)

• confirmation= ceremony marking a person’s choice to take on the full responsibility of being a member of the Catholic Church; children who have reached puberty confirm and go through a ceremony similar to Eucharist

• marriage- joining together of a couple in a formal union intended to be lifelong

• holy orders- becoming a priest

• anointing of the sick- ceremony in which God’s grace is passed onto a very sick or dying person

quaker sacraments and why

• no sacraments

• they believe that all actions are sacred and believe it is not necessary to use rituals and symbols to communicate with God or receive his grace

what is baptism

the rite of initiation involving immersion in, or sprinkling or pouring of water; sacrament marking the start of a Christian’s life

who was the first Jew to use baptism and what did this use symbolise

• Jesus’ cousin John the Baptist

• symbolised the forgiveness of sins

• he baptised Jesus and baptism remains important for Christians

why is Baptism very important for Christians

• Jesus did it

• after Jesus’ resurrection he told his followers that they too should be baptised

• it cleanses people from all Original Sin and welcomes a Christian into Gods family

• almost all Christian denominations do this

quote showing the importance of Baptism

“no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit”

what are the two types of baptism

• infant baptism- baptism of babies as soon as possible after they are born

• believers baptism- baptism of people who are old enough to understand the meaning of the rite

what denominations do infant baptism and what do they believe about it

• Catholicism and Greek and Russian orthodox

• believe that Heaven can only be entered by those who are baptised, so therefore for these Christians it’s important to baptise babies as quickly as possible

what are Orthodox and Catholicism baptisms like

• orthodox- infant baptism involves total immersion

• Catholicism- priests use holy oil to make the sign of the cross on the baby’s head before sprinkling the baby with holy water

parts of the infant baptism service

• baptism

• godparents promise to reject evil on behalf of the child

• at the end of the ceremony, the priest gives the child’s guardian a lit candle, symbolising receiving the light of Christ

what denominations practice believers baptism and why

• evangelicals, baptists and pentecostals

• do this and believe that baptism should only occur once somebody is an adult because:

• becoming part of a faith community important commitment people should choose for themselves

• Christians should follow Jesus’ example as closely as possible, and he was baptised as an adult

• Bible seems to support adult baptism; no examples of babies being baptised in the Bible

• Jesus doesn’t recommend baptising people as soon as they are born

quote by Jesus to show that baptism should happen for adults

in Bible, Nicodemus asks Jesus “how can someone be born when they are old” and Jesus replies “you must be born again”

how are people baptised in believers baptism

• total immersion

• person being baptised walks into a special pool and is fully submerged three times before walking out into their new life