Liturgical worship
A church service which follows a set structure or ritual. involves To show devotion to God and/or religion through actions - for example, prayer. that is carried out in a public setting, generally during a church service, and that follows a set structure. For Catholics, the A service celebrating the sacrificial death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, using elements of bread and wine. service, also known as Mass, is especially significant. It serves as a re-enactment of the The meal that Jesus had with his disciples the night before he died where he gave them bread and wine to symbolise his body and blood. Jesus had with his A person who follows and learns from someone else..
Why is the Eucharist so important?
The Eucharist is at the heart of worship for many Catholics. This is because:
- Catholics believe the Eucharist is linked to other Religious ceremonies or acts, such as baptism.. They also believe it is a key moment that demonstrates faith in God’s love and The gift of God's love and support regardless of whether or not a person has done God's will. .
- It reminds Catholics that Jesus died for their sins. He sacrificed himself so that humanity could achieve The healing of a broken relationship between people and God..
- It is a moment every week when Catholics can feel connected to the presence of God.
- Jesus began the Eucharist at the Last Supper. He specifically instructed his disciples to share the bread and wine in memory of him.
And [Jesus] took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, "This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me".
Catholic sources of authority
The Lumen Gentium, a document, written by the Second Vatican Council, gives guidance on key Catholic beliefs. Section 7 emphasises the importance of the Eucharist: Really partaking of the body of the Lord in the breaking of the Eucharistic bread, we are taken up into the communion with Him and with one another (Lumen Gentium 7).
The The summary of teachings, beliefs and rules of the Roman Catholic Church. refers to the Eucharist as the source and summit of Christian life (Catholic Catechism 1324). This links to the idea that the Eucharist is where the other sacraments stem from.
Different Christian attitudes towards worship
Catholic and An adjective describing the Church of England or a member of the Church of England. churches generally prefer liturgical worship because following a set format helps the worship to become a repeated ritual with a clear place in people’s lives. Also, it connects worshippers to the rest of the Church, because everybody is worshipping in the same way, creating a sense of belonging.
A Church that emphasises certain gifts, eg healing the sick, which were granted to the first believers on the Day of Pentecost. churches prefer A church service which does not follow a set text or ritual. This type of worship is often called 'spontaneous' or 'charismatic' in nature., which is freer in style and more flexible. Pentecostal church services are described as informal, and worshippers believe that the The third person of the Trinity. Active as God's presence and power in the world. is present and allowing them to carry out God’s wishes, so the services can be quite spontaneous. Group, or church, placing particular emphasis on the gospel and the scriptures as the sole authority in all matters of faith and conduct. Christians also worship in this style and may clap or shout during a service at any point, as they worship God with their whole body, not just their minds.
