Artefacts in Christian Worship (Cambridge (CIE) IGCSE Religious Studies): Revision Note

The meaning and importance of the Bible

• The Bible is the holy book of the Christian faith

• It is important for worship because:

  • It is the inspired Word of God because God inspired the various human authors to write His message down

  • Listening to the Word of God makes God present with believers during worship

  • It contains the record of the life of Jesus, the Son of God, on Earth (in the gospels)

  • It contains the teachings and guidance for how God wants his people to live, and it gives spiritual and moral guidance

  • It contains instructions and words to show Christians how they should pray and worship, such as the words of the Lord’s Prayer (Our Father)

• Therefore, it plays an important part in all Christian services

• In the Catholic Church, Bible readings are an important part of Mass

  • These include:

    • Readings from the Old Testament, a psalm, a reading from the New Testament and a gospel reading each Sunday

    • A sermon, which the priest delivers to explain the readings and help believers reflect on the messages the readings contain

• In the Anglican Church, the format of services are often similar to that of the Catholic Church

• In Protestant churches such as the Methodist Church, the Bible readings and the sermon are the central features of the Sunday service

  • The sermon is the key part of the service because the founder of Methodism, John Wesley, placed great importance on it

  • It is considered important that people have God’s word explained clearly to them so they can put the Christian message into action throughout their daily lives

  • Methodists often meet during the week to study the Bible and develop their understanding of its teachings

The meaning and importance of the cross and the crucifix

• Both the cross and the crucifix are common symbols of Christianity 

  • They are used widely in churches and on objects of worship, such as on the cover of a Bible or prayer book

The crucifix

• The crucifix is a cross with an image of Jesus Christ, usually showing him suffering while dying on the cross

• The crucifix is common in Catholic Churches

• The crucifix reminds:

  • Believers of Jesus’ suffering on the cross for the sake of humanity 

  • People of the love Jesus showed for humans and for God the Father in accepting death

  • Believers of the significance of Jesus’ death 

• A crucifix is placed on the altar so that when Mass is celebrated and the bread and wine are blessed on the altar, Jesus’ suffering in giving his body and blood is remembered in the Eucharist

The cross

• A cross is a simple shape, showing an upright post with a cross beam

• It does not contain an image of Jesus as a crucifix does

• Many Christians prefer to use a cross instead of a crucifix as a symbol of their faith

• This is because:

  • They believe that Jesus rose from the dead (an event called the resurrection), and therefore, they prefer to focus on the fact that Jesus is alive

  • They want to avoid any form of “idolatry” because of one of the Ten Commandments, which says, “You shall not make for yourself an idol” (Exodus 20:4)

    • Note that Catholics would answer this by saying that they are not praying to the crucifix, only using it as a symbol

The meaning and importance of the paten and the chalice

• A paten, or plate, is what the bread is placed on during a Holy Communion service or Mass

• A chalice is a cup that holds the wine during a Holy Communion service or Mass

• Both items are used by the priest at the moment of consecration, or blessing of the bread and wine, during the Eucharist

• The paten and chalice are often made from precious metals, usually gold or silver

  • Catholics believe that the consecration of the bread and wine means that they actually become the body and blood of Christ (transubstantiation)

  • Therefore, the chalice and paten must be made of precious metals to represent the importance of this event

• The paten and chalice are referred to as sacred vessels because they hold the body and blood of Christ

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Caption: A paten and chalice, used in Christian Holy Communion

_{Chalice and Paten is licensed under CC0 1.0}

The use of service books

• Many Christian churches have a set order to follow during services, especially Holy Communion services

• The Missal is the Catholic book of liturgy, containing all the prayers, responses and instructions for the celebration of the Mass throughout the year

• The Book of Common Prayer is the Church of England’s book of liturgy, also used in Anglican churches throughout the world

• There are several other service books used by different Protestant denominations, such as the:

  • Lutheran Book of Prayer

  • Baptist Hymnal 

  • Methodist Worship Book

• Service books are used: 

  • By worship leaders to lead services 

  • By members of the congregation, who can follow the order of service using copies left in the church for this purpose 

    • This can help them to develop a deeper understanding of the words and prayers used

  • By believers at home, many of whom have their own versions of the service book 

    • This allows them to reflect at home on the prayers and worship they have shared with their community

The meaning and importance of the lectionary

• The lectionary is a book containing all of the Bible readings and the psalms assigned for each Mass of the year (Sundays, weekdays and special occasions)

  • The lectionary does not follow the order of the books of the Bible

• The readings are divided by the day, the time of the Church’s year or the theme of the service, for example, baptism or marriage

• Some denominations use a lectionary, which runs on a three-year cycle of readings

  • By the end of the three years, much of the Bible will have been read aloud as part of Masses or church services

• It means that the Bible is covered in a fair and balanced way, not just focusing on a few key events or teachings

• It allows priests and service leaders to plan their sermons and hymns to suit the content of the readings

• It means that the readings always reflect the theme of the service

• The churches that use lectionaries are the:

  • Catholic Church

  • Church of England

  • Methodist Church

• Some Protestant churches choose not to use lectionaries

  • They prefer to use the Bible passages that inspire the service leader most

  • Having the freedom to choose readings for Sunday services enables the service leader to respond to world events or local need