Christian worship

For Christian liturgical worship, see Christian liturgy. For the hymnal of the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod, see Christian Worship: A Lutheran Hymnal.

In Christianity, worship is the act of attributing reverent honour and homage to God.[1] In the New Testament, various words are used to refer to the term worship. One is proskuneo ("to worship") which means to bow down to God or kings.[2] Worship in the New Testament usually means expressions of praise or thanksgiving, as the appropriate human response to the magnificent glory of God.[3]

Throughout most of Christianity's history, corporate Christian worship has been liturgical, characterized by prayers and hymns, with texts rooted in, or closely related to, the Bible (Scripture), particularly the Psalter, and centered on the altar (or table) and the Eucharist; this form of sacramental and ceremonial worship is still practiced by the Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, Lutheran and Anglican churches, as well as Methodism to a lesser extent. Baptist and Methodist services of worship may include extemporaneous prayer, the sharing of prayer requests, praise reports, and testimonies, as well as altar calls.[4][5] In the Charismatic tradition worship is viewed as an act of adoration of God, with a more informal conception. "The holy act of singing together shapes faith, heals brokenness, transforms lives, and renews peace," according to one broad-based professional association.[6] Among certain Christian denominations, such as those of traditional Anabaptism, the observance of various ordinances rooted in Scripture occurs during Christian worship, such as feetwashing, anointing with oil, and the wearing of headcoverings by women.[7][8]

The term liturgy is derived from the Greek leitourgia meaning "public service" and is formed by two words: "laos" (people) and "ergon" (work), literally "work of the people". Responsorial prayers are a series of petitions read or sung by a leader with responses made by the congregation. Set times for prayer during the day were established (based substantially on Jewish models), and a festal cycle throughout the Church year governed the celebration of feasts and holy days pertaining to the events in the life of Jesus, the lives of the saints, and aspects of the Godhead.

A great deal of emphasis was placed on the forms of worship, as they were seen in terms of the Latin phrase lex orandi, lex credendi ("the rule of prayer is the rule of belief")—that is, the specifics of one's worship express, teach, and govern the doctrinal beliefs of the community. According to this view, alterations in the patterns and content of worship would necessarily reflect a change in the faith itself. Each time a heresy arose in the Church, it was typically accompanied by a shift in worship for the heretical group. Orthodoxy in faith also meant orthodoxy in worship, and vice versa. Thus, unity in Christian worship was understood to be a fulfillment of Jesus' words that the time was at hand when true worshipers would worship "in spirit and in truth" (John 4:23).

Early Church Fathers

The theme of worship is taken up by many of the Church Fathers including Justin Martyr, Irenaeus and Hippolytus of Rome (c. 170 – c. 236). The Holy Eucharist was the central act of worship in early Christianity. The liturgy of the synagogues and the ritual of the Jewish temple, both of which were participated in by early Christians, helped shape the form of the early Christian liturgy, which was a dual liturgy of the word and of the Eucharist; this early structure of the liturgy still exists in the Catholic Mass and Eastern Divine Liturgy. The early Christian use of incense in worship first originated in Christian funeral rites, and was later used during regular worship services. Incense was also used in the Bible to worship God and symbolize prayer, in both the Old Testament and New Testament; one of the three Magi offered Christ frankincense, and in the Book of Revelation, angels and saints appear in Heaven offering incense to God, thus setting a precedent for Christian use of incense in worship.

Reformation liturgies

Further information: Reformed worship, Lutheranism § Liturgy, Divine Service (Lutheran), Lutheran hymn, and Lutheran chorale

Worship as singing underwent great changes for some Christians within the Protestant Reformation. Martin Luther, a music lover, composed hymns that are still sung today, and expected congregations to be active participants in the service, singing along.

John Calvin, in Geneva, argued that while instrumental music had its time with the Levites of the Old Testament, it was no longer a proper expression for the church. This was expanded upon by John Knox (see Presbyterian worship); only Psalms were sung, and they were sung a cappella. Furthermore, in the Genevan and Scottish Reformed tradition, man-made hymns are not sung, being seen inferior to the God-inspired psalms of the Bible. The Calvinist Regulative Principle of Worship distinguishes traditional Presbyterian and Reformed churches from the Lutheran or other Protestant churches. Though historic Anglicanism was theologically Reformed, it leaned closer to Lutheran liturgy.[9]

Present day

Current Christian worship practices are diverse in modern Christianity, with a range of customs and theological views. Three broad groupings can be identified, and whilst some elements are universal, style and content varies greatly due to the history and differing emphases of the various branches of Christianity.

In many Christian traditions, regular public worship is complemented by worship in private and small groups, such as meditation, prayer and study.[10] Singing often forms an important part of Christian worship.[11]

Common elements

While differing considerably in form, the following items characterise the worship of virtually all Christian churches.

Sacramental tradition

This grouping can also be referred to as the Eucharistic tradition, which includes the Oriental Orthodox churches, the Eastern Orthodox churches, the Lutheran churches, and most branches of the Anglican Communion. Worship (variously known as the Mass, Divine Liturgy, and Divine Service) is formal and centres on the offering of thanks and praise for the death and resurrection of Christ over the people's offerings of bread and wine, breaking the bread, and the receiving of the Eucharist, seen as the body and blood of Jesus Christ. Churches in this group understand worship as a mystic participation in the death and resurrection of Christ, through which they are united with him and with each other. Services are structured according to a liturgy and typically include other elements such as prayers, psalms, hymns, choral music (including polyphonic chant, plainchant, and hymnody) the reading of Scripture, and some form of teaching or homily. In the theology of the Catholic Church, the Mass takes on another dimension, that of a sacrifice which involves a ritualistic re-presentation of the Body and Blood of Christ to God the Father. The Lutheran Churches teach that the Sacrifice of the Mass (sacrificium eucharistikon) is a sacrifice of thanksgiving and praise (sacrificia laudis).[12] The liturgy, normally led by a priest who wears vestments (a form of sacred clothing), includes the ritual usage of sacred liturgical vessels, incense, candles, and holy water, and may include ritual acts of bowing, prostration, kneeling, kissing sacred images and relics, and crossing oneself. In the Catholic Church there is a diversity of ancient liturgical rites: the Roman Rite (including both the Tridentine Mass and the ordinary-form Roman Rite) the Byzantine Rite, the Ge'ez Rite, and the Antiochene Rite to name several of the more prominent examples. The Lutheran Churches have the Western Rite (based on the Formula Missae) and the Byzantine Rite.[13]

Within the Catholic Church and the Lutheran Churches, the charismatic movement has had much less influence, although modern Christian hymnody is found in some parishes, owing a large part to a movement known as the Catholic Charismatic Renewal.[14][15][16] Worship practices in the Eastern Churches have largely remained traditional.

Reformed traditions

In the Reformed tradition (historically inclusive of the Continental Reformed, Anglican, Presbyterian and Congregationalist traditions), corporate worship is shaped by the legacy of the Reformation. Worship in such a context also generally features spoken prayer, Scripture readings, congregational singing of hymns, and a sermon. Some liturgy is normally used but may not be described as such. The Lord's Supper, or Communion, is celebrated less frequently (intervals vary from once a week to once a month according to the denomination or local church). Vestments may include the alb or the Geneva gown.[17]

Baptist and Methodist traditions

Baptist and Methodist services including the singing of hymns and prayer, as well as the sermon (on which emphasis is placed). Baptist and Methodist services of worship may include extemporaneous prayer, the sharing of prayer requests, praise reports, testimonies, and altar calls.[5][4] Baptisms and Holy Communion, as well as footwashing, are celebrated often once monthly to once a quarter.[18]

Outside of worship on the Lord's Day (Sunday morning service and Sunday evening service), Baptists and Methodists often hold revival services, tent revivals, and camp meetings. These services, for Methodists, are aimed at preaching the New Birth and entire sanctification, as well as energizing believers and calling backsliders to repentance.[19] Lovefeasts are observed by a number of Methodist congregations, usually once every quarter.[20][21]

Charismatic tradition

In Charismatic Christianity (including pentecostalism, the charismatic movement, neo-charismatic movement and certain parts of nondenominational Christianity), worship is viewed like an act of adoration of God, with a more informal conception.[22] Some gatherings take place in auditoriums with few religious signs.[23][24] There is no dress style. Since the beginning of charismatic movement of the 1960s there have been significant changes to Christian worship practices of many denominations.[25] A new music-centered approach to worship, known as contemporary worship, is now commonplace. This replaces the traditional order of worship based around liturgy or a "hymn-prayer sandwich" with extended periods of congregational singing sometimes referred to as "block worship". The worship has two parts; one in the beginning with music and the second part with sermon and Lord's Supper.[26]

In the 1980s and 1990s, Contemporary worship music settled in many evangelical churches.[27][28] This music is written in the style of popular music, Christian rock or folk music and therefore differs considerably from traditional hymns.[29] It is frequently played on a range of instruments that would not have previously been used in churches such as guitars (including electric) and drum kits.

Types of Christian worship

See also: Church service § Types of church service

Services of worship on the Lord's Day (Sundays) are a part of mainstream Christian traditions, especially those following Sunday Sabbatarianism (First-day Sabbatarianism).[30] The Eucharist may be celebrated at some or all of these; ranging from daily to once a week to once a month or once a quarter. Saturday Sabbatarians (Seventh-day Sabbatarians) have their main weekly services on Saturday rather than Sunday. On the Lord's Day, a number of denominations (following the historic Reformed, Methodist and Baptist views of Sunday Sabbatarianism) have a service of worship in the morning and one in the evening.[31]

Sacraments, ordinances, holy mysteries

Lutherans see baptism, the Eucharist, and confession and absolution as sacraments. Lutherans recognize and practice marriage, confirmation, ordination, and the anointing of the sick as rites (though Lutherans teach that as they do not forgive sins, they are therefore are not sacraments in the strict sense).[32][33]

In the Dunkard Brethren Church (part of Conservative Anabaptism), feetwashing, communion and the holy kiss occur during the lovefeast.[8] In addition to other Conservative Anabaptist denominations that observe the lovefeast, the lovefeast is observed by the Moravian Church and the Methodist Churches.[18]

  • Baptists, Methodists and Pentecostals see Baptism and Communion as ordinances or sacraments, with a number of Baptists, Methodists and Pentecostals including feetwashing and headcovering as an ordinance.[18][34]

See also

References

Notes

  1. ^ "worship", Dictionary.com Unabridged, Random House, retrieved 4 Sep 2013
  2. ^ Whaley, Vernon (2013). Called to Worship: The Biblical Foundations of Our Response to God's Call. Zondervan Academic. ISBN 9781401680084.
  3. ^ Freedman, David, ed. (2000). Eerdmans Dictionary of the Bible. Grand Rapids, Michigan, USA: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company. pp. 1391–1392. ISBN 0-8028-2400-5.
  4. ^ a b Catechism of the Pillar of Fire Church. Pillar of Fire Church. 1948. pp. 39–40.
  5. ^ a b Beers, Adelaide L. (2016). "At East St. Louis" (PDF). Free Methodist Historical Society. 15 (2). Marston Memorial Historical Center. ISSN 1546-4199. Sunday morning love-feast was usually good. There was no waiting for testimonies. It seemed that the saints were just waiting for a chance to get in a clear, positive testimony of entire holiness. The power and glory rested on the saints. Following the love feast, Brother Ashcraft preached a powerful sermon on holiness and several identified themselves as seekers of this blessing. After the sermon Sunday evening the altar was soon filled with seekers for pardon or purity.
  6. ^ "Welcome to the hymn society". The Hymn Society. The Hymn Society in the US and Canada. Retrieved 27 May 2025.
  7. ^ a b Hartzler, Rachel Nafziger (30 April 2013). No Strings Attached: Boundary Lines in Pleasant Places: A History of Warren Street / Pleasant Oaks Mennonite Church. Wipf and Stock Publishers. ISBN 978-1-62189-635-7.
  8. ^ a b c Dunkard Brethren Church Polity. Dunkard Brethren Church. 1 November 2021. p. 6.
  9. ^ Robinson, Peter (2 August 2012). "The Reformed Face of Anglicanism". The Old High Churchman. Retrieved 3 February 2020. Cranmer's personal journey of faith left its mark on the Church of England in the form of a Liturgy that remains to this day more closely allied to Lutheran practice, but that liturgy is couple to a doctrinal stance that is broadly, but decidedly Reformed.
  10. ^ a b Church - Question Mark Booklets - Page 16 - ISBN 0-85421-333-3
  11. ^ "Bruderhof Communities". SoundCloud. Retrieved 2018-05-31.
  12. ^ "The Mystery of the Church: D. The Holy Eucharist in the Life of the Church" (PDF). Bratislava: Lutheran World Federation. 2006. p. 1.
  13. ^ Hämmerli, Maria; Mayer, Jean-François (23 May 2016). Orthodox Identities in Western Europe: Migration, Settlement and Innovation. Routledge. p. 13. ISBN 9781317084914.
  14. ^ "Tra Le Sollecitudini Instruction on Sacred Music - Adoremus Bulletin". Adoremus.org. 1903-11-22. Retrieved 2019-01-29.
  15. ^ Matthew Hoffman. "Various Statements of Pope Paul VI and Other Authorities". Matthewhoffman.net. Retrieved 2019-01-29.
  16. ^ "Musicae Sacrae (December 25, 1955) | PIUS XII". Vatican.va. Retrieved 2019-01-29.
  17. ^ Ross, Peter (2017). A History of Long Island, Vol. 1. Jazzybee Verlag. p. 183. ISBN 978-3-8496-7924-8.
  18. ^ a b c Discipline of the Missionary Methodist Church. Missionary Methodist Church. 2004. p. 7.
  19. ^ Olson, Roger E. (2005). The SCM Press A-Z of Evangelical Theology. Hymns Ancient and Modern Ltd. p. 22. ISBN 978-0-334-04011-8.
  20. ^ The Discipline of the Allegheny Wesleyan Methodist Connection (Original Allegheny Conference). Salem, Ohio: Allegheny Wesleyan Methodist Connection. 2014. p. 90.
  21. ^ The Discipline of the Evangelical Wesleyan Church. Evangelical Wesleyan Church. 2015. p. 76.
  22. ^ Gerald R. McDermott, The Oxford Handbook of Evangelical Theology, Oxford University Press, UK, 2013, p. 311
  23. ^ Jeanne Halgren Kilde, Sacred Power, Sacred Space: An Introduction to Christian Architecture and Worship, Oxford University Press, USA, 2008, p. 193
  24. ^ Keith A. Roberts, David Yamane, Religion in Sociological Perspective, SAGE , USA, 2011, p. 209
  25. ^ Robert H. Krapohl, Charles H. Lippy, The Evangelicals: A Historical, Thematic, and Biographical Guide, Greenwood Publishing Group, USA, 1999, p. 171
  26. ^ Charles E. Farhadian, Christian Worship Worldwide: Expanding Horizons, Deepening Practices, Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing, USA, 2007, p. 112
  27. ^ Suzel Ana Reily, Jonathan M. Dueck, The Oxford Handbook of Music and World Christianities, Oxford University Press, USA, 2016, p. 443
  28. ^ Mathew Guest, Evangelical Identity and Contemporary Culture: A Congregational Study in Innovation, Wipf and Stock Publishers, USA, 2007, p. 42
  29. ^ George Thomas Kurian, Mark A. Lamport, Encyclopedia of Christianity in the United States, Volume 5, Rowman & Littlefield, USA, 2016, p. 629
  30. ^ Hughes, James R. (2006). "The Sabbath: A Universal and Enduring Ordinance of God" (PDF). Evangelical Presbyterian Church. Archived from the original (PDF) on 9 October 2020. Retrieved 6 October 2020.
  31. ^ "Why an Evening Worship Service?". Christ United Reformed Church, Santee, California. 8 December 2010. Retrieved 6 October 2020.
  32. ^ Galler, Jayson S. (2025). "Word & Sacrament". Pilgrim Lutheran Church. Retrieved 9 May 2025. ...generally in the Lutheran Christian tradition we speak of three sacraments.
  33. ^ Becker, Matthew L. (25 January 2024). Fundamental Theology: A Protestant Perspective. Bloomsbury Publishing. ISBN 978-0-567-70572-3. Unitl that final revelation of the church, when it will be revealed to be what the apostles have said it is, the church proclaims the gospel and administers the sacraments (especially baptism, the Lord's Supper [also called Holy Communion or the Eucharist], and Holy Absolution [the formal proclamation of the forgiveness of sins)—all for the sake of calling people to faith, hope, and love and keeping them united with Christ and with one another in the one church of Christ. And where the gospel is proclaimed and the sacraments administered in accord with that gospel, there the church truly is. Indeed, the Holy Spirit acts through the word and the sacraments, in Luther's phrase, "to call, gather, enlighten, and sanctify the whole Christian church on earth" (the church is not a Platonic reality) and keep it united to Christ. Because of the power of the Spirit to create and preserve the church, even the gates of hell cannot prevail against it (Mt. 16.18).
  34. ^ "What we believe". Bethel Reformed Baptist Church. 2024. Retrieved 2 July 2025. Female members should remember the teaching of 1 Cor. 14:34–35, and so must ask questions at Members' Meetings through their own husbands or a male member of the Church. Female head covering is the teaching of Holy Scripture, as seen in 1 Cor. 11, and so is to be observed by all female Church members in all Church Services, business and prayer meetings.

Bibliography

  • Lang, Bernhard (1997), Sacred Games: A History of Christian Worship, New Haven: Yale University Press, ISBN 0-300-06932-4
  • Stevens, James H. S. (2002), Worship In The Spirit – Charismatic Worship In The Church of England, Paternoster, ISBN 1-84227-103-2.
  • Ward, Pete (2005), Selling Worship – How What We Sing Has Changed The Church, Paternoster, ISBN 1-84227-270-5
  • Warner, Rob (2007), Reinventing English Evangelicalism 1966–2001 – A Theological And Sociological Study, Paternoster, ISBN 978-1-84227-570-2. Chapter 2 includes a study of changing worship styles.
  • Lupia, John N., (1995) "Censer," The New Grove's Dictionary of Art (Macmillan Publishers, London)
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