worship

This article refers to the religious act. For the album by Michael W. Smith see Worship (album). For the style see Worship (style).

Detail from Religion, Charles Sprague Pearce (1896). Library of Congress Thomas Jefferson Building, Washington, D.C.

Worship is an act manifesting a state of religious devotion typically directed to one or more deities.

Worship is etymologically derived from Old English words meaning "worth-ship". Giving worth to something.^[1] 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.

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."^[2]

An expression of worship may be performed individually, or corporately within informal groups, or a formal meeting, or representatively, by a designated leader. Religious worship can occur in a variety of locations including houses, rented venues, out in the open, or in purpose-built structures identified as places of worship. Many religious traditions place an emphasis on regular worship and may organize meetings for the purpose at frequent intervals, often daily or weekly. Expressions of worship vary between faiths but typically include one or more of the following:

• prayer; sacrifice; rituals; meditation; holidays, festivals; sacraments; pilgrimages; participatory or observed music or singing; dance; dining; fasting; public readings; listening to a public talk or sermon; the construction of temples or shrines; the creation of idols of the deity; private acts of devotion.

Adoration versus veneration

Catholicism and Eastern Orthodoxy distinguish between adoration or latria (Latin adoratio, Greek latreia, [λατρεια]), which is due to God alone, and veneration or dulia (Latin veneratio, Greek douleia [δουλεια]), 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.

According to Mark Miravelle, the English word "worship" is equivocal, in that it has been used in Catholic writing, at any rate, to denote both adoration/latria and veneration/dulia, and in some cases even to as a synonym for veneration as distinct from adoration:

Adoration, which is known as latria in classical theology, is the worship and homage that is rightly offered to God alone. It is the acknowledgement of excellence and perfection of an uncreated, divine person. It is the worship of the Creator that God alone deserves.

Childeren at a Gospel presentation, Eau Claire, Wisconsin

Veneration, known as dulia in classical theology, is the honor due to the excellence of a created person. This refers to the excellence exhibited by the created being who likewise deserves recognition and honor. We see a general example of veneration in events like the awarding of academic awards for excellence in school, or the awarding of the Olympic medals for excellence in sports. There is nothing contrary to the proper adoration of God when we offer the appropriate honor and recognition that created persons deserve based on achievement in excellence.

Here a further clarification should be made regarding the use of the term "worship" in relation to the categories of adoration and veneration. Some schools of theology use the term "worship" to introduce both adoration and veneration. They would distinguish between "worship of adoration" and "worship of veneration." The word "worship" (in the same way the theological term "cult" is traditionally used) in these classical definitions was not at all synonymous with adoration, but could be used to introduce either adoration or veneration. Hence Catholic writers will sometimes use the term "worship" not to indicate adoration, but only the worship of veneration given to Mary and the saints.^[3]

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

This section requires expansion.

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..^[4]

Worship in Hinduism

This section requires expansion.

Worship in Hinduism involves invoking higher forces to assist in spiritual and material progress and is simultaneously both a science and an art. People usually perform worship to achieve some specific end or to integrate the body, the mind and the spirit in order to help the performer evolve into a higher being.^[5]

Worship in Judaism

This section requires expansion.

Worship in Sikhism

This section requires expansion.

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

This section requires expansion.

Worship in Buddha Dharma may take innumerable forms given the doctrine of skillful means. Worship is evident in Buddhism in such forms as: guru yoga, mandala, thanka, yantra yoga, the discipline of the fighting monks of Shaolin, panchamrita, mantra recitation, tea ceremony, ganacakra, amongst others.

Aspects of worship

• Ancestor worship
• Animal worship
• Egotism
• Idol worship
• Imperial cult
• Major world religions

References

1. ^ Google.com
2. ^ Underhill, Evelyn, Education and the Spirit of Worship, in Collected Papers, p.193, London, 1946.
3. ^ Mark Miravalle, S.T.D, What is Devotion to Mary?
4. ^ "Worship in Islam". http://www.islam-info.ch/en/Worship_in_Islam.htm. Retrieved 2007-11-25. 
5. ^ "Worship", Krishna Maheshwari, Hindupedia, the online Hindu Encyclopedia