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Worship
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Worship usually refers to acts of religious devotion typically directed to one or more deities. It is the informal term in English for what sociologists of religion call cultus—traditional beliefs and practices, the individual study of which is one of the chief concerns of theology.
An act of worship may be performed individually, within informal groups, or as part of a formal meeting. Religious worship occurs in a variety of locations including houses, rented venues, out in the open, or in purpose-built structures identified as places of worship.
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Encyclopedia
Worship usually refers to acts of religious devotion typically directed to one or more deities. It is the informal term in English for what sociologists of religion call cultus—traditional beliefs and practices, the individual study of which is one of the chief concerns of theology.
An act of worship may be performed individually, within informal groups, or as part of a formal meeting. Religious worship occurs in a variety of locations including houses, rented venues, out in the open, or in purpose-built structures identified as places of worship. Most religious traditions place an emphasis on regular worship and many organize meetings for the purpose at frequent intervals, often daily or weekly.
Evelyn Underhill defines worship thus: "The adoring acknowledgment of all that lies beyond us—the glory that fills heaven and earth. It is the response that conscious beings make to their Creator, to the Eternal Reality from which they came forth; to God, however they may think of Him or recognize Him, and whether He be realized through religion, through nature, through history, through science, art, or human life and character."
In its older sense in English of worthiness or respect (Anglo-Saxon,worthscripe), worship may on occasion refer to an attitude towards someone of immensely elevated social status, such as a lord or a monarch, or, more loosely, towards an individual, such as a hero or one's lover.
Practices in worship vary between religions but typically include one or more of the following:
These elements may be practiced by all the worshipers, or by a designated leader.
Adoration versus veneration
Catholicism and Eastern Orthodoxy distinguish between adoration or latria (Latin adoratio, Greek latreia, [?at?e?a]), which is due to God alone, and veneration or dulia (Latin veneratio, Greek douleia [d???e?a]), which may be lawfully offered to the saints. The external acts of veneration resemble those of worship, but differ in their object and intent. Protestant Christians question whether such a distinction is always maintained in actual devotional practice, especially at the level of folk religion.
Orthodox Judaism and orthodox Sunni Islam hold that for all practical purposes veneration should be considered the same as prayer; Orthodox Judaism (arguably with the exception of some Chasidic practices), orthodox Sunni Islam, and most kinds of Protestantism forbid veneration of saints or angels, classifying these actions as akin to idolatry.
Similarly, Jehovah's Witnesses assert that many actions classified as patriotic by Protestant groups, such as saluting a flag, are equivalent to worship and are therefore considered idolatrous as well.
Worship in various religions
Worship in Christianity
Worship in Islam
According to the Qur'an, mankind was created only for the purpose to worship God (Qur'an 51:56). Prayer or pilgrimage are just special forms of worship; obedience to God and the attempt to assume the attributes of God as far as possible (2:138) are forms of worship which should ideally encompass every human action. See e.g..
Worship in Hinduism
Worship in Judaism
Worship in Sikhism
In Sikhism, Worship takes after the Guru Granth Sahib. In the Guru Granth Sahib is the work of the 10 Sikh Gurus all in one. Sikhs worship God and only one God, known as "One Creator" or (Waheguru) "Destroyer of Darkness". The Guru Granth Sahib is known as the final Sikh Guru by Guru Gohbind Singh, the 10th Sikh Guru.
Worship in Buddhism
Aspects of worship
External links
- Online worship services, thoughts and events from around the world via the latest technology
- Directory of Christian worship sites, live online worship, radio, blogs, podcasts, etc.
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- an outline for Christian worship
- is not just music but a lifestyle
- - A study of Biblical Worship.
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