Christian Worship & Prayer, The Sacraments, Festivals & Pilgrimage
Liturgical Worship
Liturgical Worship relates to services that are ordered and have a set pattern.
Advantages of Liturgical Worship
Worshipping in public helps some Christians to feel part of a larger community
For many Christians they will feel closer to Jesus as they believe he is with them in the church
Worshipping together and following the traditions also helps Christians to feel connected to other Christians now and throughout history.
Quote supporting Liturgical Worship
“For where two or three gather in my name, there I am with them”
Non-Liturgical Worship
Some Christians take part in non-liturgical worship in which there does not need to be a set order or ritual.
Advantages of Non-Liturgical Worship
Some Christians prefer an unstructured way of worshipping because it gives them more freedom.
As no two services are the same, it involves more variety
Personal connection with God. More convenient (private).
Disadvantages of Non-Liturgical Worship
Others believe that non-liturgical, unstructured services are unsuitable and do not have the level of respect required for a Christian service.
Explain two contrasting examples of Christian worship. [4 marks]
In liturgical worship, the priest may perform symbolic actions such as those associated with the ritual of the Eucharist whereas non-liturgical worship may be less structures and symbolic, being charismatic, free-flowing and ‘Spirit-led’. (2)
Private worship may involve only one individual and no set form of worship may be contrasted with public worship involving people joining together as a community and often as a set order, etc. (2)
Reasons for prayer
Thanksgiving - to thank God for something
Supplication - asking God for something
Adoration - worshipping God
Confession - admitting and asking for forgiveness for sins
Intercession - asking God to help other people
The Lord’s Prayer
Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be thy name.
Your kingdom come,
your will be done on earth
as it is in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread
and forgive us for our sins as we
forgive those who sin against us.
Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil, for the kingdom,
the power and the glory are yours,
now and forever. Amen.
Importance of Christian Prayer
Christians draw comfort from the fact that they believe God is listening to them
Many Christians believe that God is also communicating back and guiding them with important decisions through the Holy Spirit
Prayer strengthens the relationship between Christians and God
It is following the example of Jesus who is often as praying in the Bible
Through prayers of adoration, Christians can acknowledge the goodness and greatness of God
It encourages Christians to confess and ask for forgiveness
It helps Christians to remain humble as they thank God for all the things He has given them
Through prayers of intercession, Christians remember the needs of others rather than focusing on themselves
Through prayers of supplication, it encourages Christians to remember that they cannot do everything themselves and they need someone greater than them
It unites the Church as some prayers are said together as part of the service
Catholic and Orthodox Sacraments
Baptism signifies entry into the Church
Confirmation is the time when a Christian (usually a teenager) renews their vows made on their behalf during Baptism
Reconciliation is when sin is confessed and forgiveness is sought
Anointing the Sick happens when the person is ill and needs God’s help
Matrimony is where a marriage takes place and God blesses the couple
Holy Orders occurs when men are ordained as deacons, priests or bishops
Eucharist is the ceremony where the body and blood of Christ is received through bread and wine
The Protestant Sacraments
Protestants only accept Baptism and the Eucharist as sacraments
They believe that it was only these two that were prescribed by Jesus in the Gospels
Quotes for Baptism
“Go and make disciples of all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit”
“No one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the spirit
Infant Baptism
Sign of the Cross id made on the infant’s forehead to show that the child will remain faithful to Christ and fight against evil
The lighting of the candle to symbolise that the child has received the Light of Christ
The Bible is read and prayers are recited
Promises are made by parents and godparents to reject evil, repent of sins and submit to Christ, and accept the Church’s faith as set out in the Apostle’s Creed
The newly baptised child will be dressed in a white robe
At two different points in the service, the infant will be anointed with oils as a sign of receiving strength to fight evil and salvation
Believers Baptism
White clothes are often worn as a sign of the new life about to begin
Testimony is read from the person due to be baptised explaining why they came to believe and why they were seeking baptism
There is a declaration of Penitence of Sin, of faith in Christ as his or her personal Saviour and the dedication of lifelong service to Christ
The candidate walks down the steps into the water and is fully submerged in the water
The minister will then baptise the person in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit
When the person leaves the pool, it symbolises an end to their old life of sin and separation from God and the start of their new life serving God
Benefits of Believer’s Baptism over Infant Baptism
Being baptised as an adult means that you are able to make the decision rather than the decision being made for you
It makes more sense to have a ceremony that washes away sins for someone who has lived and therefore committed sins that could be washed away
Infant baptism involves washing away original sin and it seems unfair that a baby should have to be atoned for the sins of others in the past
It is better to be part of a ceremony that you have some control over and you can make a conscious decision about it
Holy Communion / The Eucharist
The Eucharist is celebrated by almost all denominations.
Roman Catholic, Protestant and Orthodox Christians see the service as a sacrament
It remembers the last meal Jesus shared with his disciples and remembers his death, the sacrifice and the miracle of his resurrection
During Holy Communion, Christians give thanks to God for sending Jesus to save people from sin and enable them to experience God’s love for all eternity
Biblical account of the Eucharist:
‘He broke it and gave it to his disciples, saying, “Take and eat; this is my body.” Then he took a cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you. This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. I tell you, I will not drink from this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom”
Advent
Advent begins with the fourth Sunday before Christmas.
Christians use this period to prepare themselves for Christmas, the celebration of the anniversary of the birth of Jesus,
Christmas
Celebration of the birth of Jesus and is celebrated on December 25th.
Lots of Catholics, Orthodox and Anglican churches have a Midnight Mass to welcome Christmas Day
Most Christians go to church on Christmas morning to celebrate
Lent
Lent is the period before Easter when Christians remember their sins
This is called penitence
It used to be a time of fasting but today people often give up something they enjoy
Lent commemorates the 40 days and nights that Jesus spent fasting and praying in the wilderness
On Ash Wednesday (the first day of Lent), ash is put on the forehead of believers to show that are sorry for their sins
Easter
Easter helps Christians to remember the sacrifice of Jesus through His crucifixion and resurrection
Easter reminds Christians that God loves them so much he was willing to suffer and die on the cross. This gives them hope of eternal life and salvation
The resurrection of Jesus is central to Christian faith. For most Christians, Easter is the most important festival
Quote for Easter
“And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith”
Pilgrimage
A pilgrimage is a journey by a believer to a holy site for religious reasons. It is an act of worship and devotion.
Reasons for Christian pilgrimage
he Bible tells the story of Jesus and his parents making the pilgrimage to Jerusalem. Christians may want to follow in their footsteps
Some Christians believe that some pilgrimage sites will help them to heal (physically or spiritually)
The reason may be to ask God for forgiveness
It could be to deepen their faith or concentrate more on their religion
Christians may also want to strengthen the community of Christians by meeting others with the same beliefs
Some Christians (Catholics) make pilgrimage to shrines where they believe Mary has appeared. For example, Lourdes
Other Christians (Protestants) may visit places where they can find peace to be able to study the bible and pray. For example, Iona
Some Christians believe that pilgrimage is unnecessary. They believe that the internal spiritual journey is more important than any external visit to a holy place