Public & Private Worship in Christianity (Cambridge (CIE) IGCSE Religious Studies): Revision Note

What is the Eucharist?

• The Eucharist is celebrated by almost all denominations

• It has many names, including:

  • The Lord’s Supper

  • Holy Communion

  • The breaking of bread 

  • Mass

• Roman Catholic, Protestant and Orthodox Christians see the service as a sacrament

  • Sacraments are important ceremonies in which a sacred or spiritual power (Grace) is believed to be transmitted from God to the worshipper

• 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

• During the service, Christians remember the biblical account of The Last Supper, with bread and wine representing the body and blood of Christ:

• There are different understandings of the Eucharist depending on the Christian denominations. Many of the different beliefs centre around the bread and wine and transubstantiation
  

Forms of worship

• Christians have different forms of worship

  • This can change based on the type of Christian or denomination

• Worship can include:

  • A sermon

  • Prayers

  • Reading of the Bible 

  • The Eucharist 

• Different denominations place greater importance on different aspects of worship

• Key Christian beliefs such as the Trinity, Jesus Christ and salvation are shown through worship

• Worship is an opportunity for Christians to create a personal relationship between themselves and God or to bring a community together

• Christian worship can be liturgical, non-liturgical or private

Liturgical worship

• Liturgical worship relates to services that are ordered and have a set pattern

• A priest or minister will lead the congregation in formal prayers that have set responses

  • There is no improvisation at all

  • Believers across the world are familiar with the order of service

• Liturgical worship also includes the formal ritual based around the Sacraments, such as Baptism and Holy Communion

• It is important to understand the similarities and differences between the Christian denominations

Similarities in liturgical worship

• There are many similarities in worship between the denominations, including:

  • The usual day of worship is a Sunday, but some denominations still have the Sabbath, the day of rest, on a Saturday. It also allows people who need to work on Sunday to attend their weekly service on Saturday evening instead 

  • The Nicene or Apostles’ Creed is recited

  • Bread and wine

  • Bible readings

  • Sermon

Differences in liturgical worship

• Anglican liturgical worship

  • Uses the Common Worship book, which is based on the Common Book of Prayer

  • Usually involves the Eucharist

  • Involves the confession of sin and a request for God’s mercy

  • Sharing of the peace 

  • The Lord’s Prayer

• Catholic liturgical worship

  • Uses the Roman Missal

  • Always includes the Eucharist (called Mass)

  • Includes the liturgy of the Word and the Eucharist

  • Involves the confession of sin and a request for God’s mercy

  • Sharing of the peace 

  • The Lord’s Prayer

• Orthodox liturgical worship

  • Based on the liturgy of St John Chrysostom

  • Always involves the Eucharist

  • Includes the Litany

  • Chants and candles are used as a visible sign to God of prayer

  • Incense is burned

• Worshipping in public helps some Christians feel part of a larger community

• Many Christians feel closer to Jesus, as they believe he is with them at church:

• Worshipping together and following the traditions also help Christians feel connected to other Christians today and throughout history

Non-liturgical worship

• Some Christians take part in non-liturgical worship,  which does not require a set order or ritual

• Some churches place an emphasis on the word of God in the Bible

• The structure of the service might remain the same each week, but the minister may change the order, the hymns or prayers

• Different Christian denominations are involved in a range of non-liturgical worship

  • The Society of Friends (Quakers) is usually unstructured

    • Worshippers sit in silence together but can pray and speak out loud

  • Methodist services do not have a set structure, but there is guidance in the Methodist Worship Book

    • Services include hymns, readings, a sermon and prayers

  • Evangelical Churches, such as Pentecostals, are involved in charismatic worship, which may involve dancing, clapping, calling out and speaking in tongues

• Some Christians prefer an unstructured way of worshipping because it gives them more freedom

• Others believe that non-liturgical, unstructured services are unsuitable and do not have the level of respect required for a Christian service

Private worship

• Many Christians worship informally at home

• This can involve saying grace before a meal, singing worship songs with friends or family, reading the Bible or praying

• Christians believe that private worship is just as important as public worship. It can take place anywhere and may involve prayer, meditation and studying or meditating on a Bible passage

• Many Christians believe they have a better connection with God when worshipping privately

• It also provides Christians the freedom to worship whenever they want, making it easier for those who may find it difficult to attend a more formal gathering

• Lots of Christians will worship both publicly and privately

Daily services in Christianity

• Although the holy day in Christianity is Sunday, Christians pray every day to God

• Therefore, some denominations hold daily church services for those who wish to attend and worship with their community

• In the Church of England, there is a practice of saying daily morning and evening prayers

  • Morning prayer is called Matins

  • Evening prayer is called Evensong

  • The order of these prayer services is contained in the Book of Common Prayer

  • People do not have to say these prayers or attend these services every day unless they are a priest 

    • However, many do. Therefore, church services are held at which these prayers are said or sung

• In the Catholic Church, the Eucharist is of such central importance that in many churches, Mass is held daily to enable Catholics to receive the Eucharist

  • The order of Mass is the same, whether it is held on a Sunday or during the week

  • However, the daily Mass may be simpler, without hymns or a sermon

  • There is a lectionary for daily Masses

  • If a priest is not available to lead the Mass, there may still be a service led by a deacon or a layperson

• In Protestant Christian Churches, such as the Baptist Church, daily services are not always held

  • These denominations emphasise the importance of daily prayer anywhere

  • There may be opportunities for church members to join together for informal prayer services or groups or to study the Bible

Acts of devotion

• An act or prayer of devotion is a prayer that shows devotion or commitment to God

• Any prayer is an act of faith in God; therefore, almost any prayer could be classed as an act of devotion

  • Even the process of dedicating time in prayer to God itself is seen as an act of devotion

• Acts of devotion can take the form of personal prayers, attending church services or acting in a Christian way towards others, such as through charity work

• Acts of devotion aim to deepen a Christian’s personal relationship with God by spending time thinking about and communicating with him

Act of confession

• An act of confession is a prayer confessing sins and asking God for forgiveness

  • It is also known as an act of contrition

• There are several versions of the act of confession prayer

• One of the most common Catholic acts of contrition uses these words:

• The purpose of the act of confession is to acknowledge that the person knows they have fallen short of what God intends for them and to vow to do better in the future

Act of reconciliation

• An act of reconciliation is a prayer through which a Christian is forgiven by God for their sins and has a “fresh start” to try and live in a way that will better please God in the future

• In the Catholic Church, reconciliation is a sacrament

Meaning of reconciliation

• A sacrament is an outward sign of inward grace

• Reconciliation is one of the seven sacraments of the Catholic Church

• Reconciliation means a return to friendly relations, and this sacrament is about restoring good relations with God and others

• Reconciliation is the sacrament where a Catholic confesses sins to a priest and receives forgiveness

• The priest may ask them to say prayers or do a deed to make up for the sin they have committed. This is known as penance, and therefore, reconciliation is also known as the sacrament of penance

• Although a person can pray to God for forgiveness and say sorry for their mistakes at any time, the sacrament of reconciliation means that they are forgiven by God through the priest, who serves as God’s representative on earth

• This fulfils the authority Jesus gave his followers after his resurrection, when he told them:

• It also continues the practice that has been happening in the Church ever since

  • The apostle James wrote:

• There are signs, symbols and important words or actions in each sacrament. In reconciliation, these are:

  • The laying on of hands, which shows the passing on of God’s power of forgiveness

  • The words: “I absolve you from your sins in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit” 

    • Absolve means forgive, so these words show that the person is forgiven in the name of all the persons of the Trinity

Effects and importance of reconciliation

• The sacrament of reconciliation is important because it:

  • Is how a person can receive the gift of God’s forgiveness, as the Parable of the Prodigal Son tells

  • Restores the person’s relationship with God; as the Catechism says, reconciliation “restores grace lost by sin” (Catechism of the Catholic Church 1446)

  • Cleanses a person’s soul from sin

  • Strengthens the person to resist future temptation

  • Enables the person to feel released from the burden of guilt and therefore able to start again

  • Shows the person that they have God’s help to start again and change

The nature and purpose of prayer

• Prayer is a way of communicating with God

• Christians believe that they can speak to God through prayer

• They also believe that prayer is a two-way form of communication: God is listening and may send messages back

• Jesus spoke to his followers about the importance of prayer to deepen their relationship with God

• The Catechism of the Catholic Church describes prayer using these words:

• Christians believe that there are four important purposes of prayer:

  • Adoration — to praise and adore God

  • Contrition — to say sorry for the times they have sinned against God’s will

  • Thanksgiving — to thank God for all their blessings

Supplication — to ask God for their needs. These include both petitions for their own needs and intercessions when they ask for the needs of others in the world

Formal and informal prayer

• Christians use different types of prayer for different occasions

Formal prayer

• Formal prayers are set, traditional prayers

• These can be said both in public, such as during church services, or in private

• Christians often learn these prayers by heart

  • They are passed down through generations and are taught at home, school and church

• Examples of formal prayers include:

  • The Lord’s Prayer (see below)

  • Sign of the Cross

  • Glory be to the Father

• Benefits of formal prayers:

  • Because the words are already laid out, people do not have to think of the correct words to say to God

  • Believers may become more open to God’s presence as they pray because they are not distracted by trying to find the right words

  • People can express their beliefs through reciting the prayers 

  • People can easily combine their prayers with others’, making community prayers possible

Informal prayer

• Believers engage in informal prayers when they talk to God in their own words

• These prayers are sometimes known as extempore prayers

• They do not require the person to learn any words and can be spontaneous (made up on the spot, with no preparation)

• Believers often think that the Holy Spirit guides them to know what to say

• Examples of informal prayers include meditation and silent reflection

• Benefits of informal prayer:

  • The person can say exactly what they are thinking and feeling to God and ask for help for their specific concerns

  • They can deepen their relationship with God by speaking to him in this way, since these prayers can express their honest, inward thoughts

  • No preparation is necessary

  • They can be performed alone and do not need to be part of a set ritual or service

The Lord’s Prayer

• The Lord’s Prayer, also known as the Our Father, is the most famous set prayer

• Jesus taught this prayer to his followers when they asked him how to pray

• This prayer is set out in Matthew’s gospel:

• The words of the Lord’s Prayer reflect some of the most important Christian beliefs

  • God exists in heaven

  • God is holy

  • God is powerful

  • If God’s will (rules) was followed by everyone, his kingdom would be complete

  • God gives people all their basic needs for survival

  • God forgives people their sins

• It also teaches believers how to live their daily lives

• The Lord’s Prayer is said daily by many Christians. It is included in most church services

Contemplation and meditation

• Sometimes, Christians may choose to pray in silence and try to put themselves into God’s presence without the need to be with other people or use set words

• These times of silent prayer are known as contemplation or meditation

• Contemplation, or thinking deeply, is a time of deep reflection on God’s message and what this means to the believer

  • It is hoped that through contemplation, the person may gain a deeper spiritual awareness and understanding of their faith

  • This is a very individual experience, and each person has their own unique approach

• Meditation is a similar quiet prayer, which allows the person to focus deeply on their relationship with God

  • During meditation, the believer may use breathing exercises, repeat words of a prayer or look at a religious object to help them focus their minds and become open to God’s message

• Both contemplation and meditation have similar aims:

  • To deepen faith

  • To reflect deeply upon some aspect of the gospels or a religious teaching

  • To gain a greater understanding of God and his message

  • To gain fresh insights into their own journey as Christians

  • To enable the person to have a possible spiritual experience, where they feel that God is communicating with them