What is the difference between a ritual and a ceremony?

Answer 1

In terms of formal ritual and ceremony (that is, not including informal usage, such as a person's morning ritual of having coffee), both are practices conducted under the purview of a religious tradition which seeks to include the presence of a Deity or a Divine influence. Both are generally conducted under a set of rules, or a traditional structure of form and function.

A ceremony is theurgical in that the participants invoke a Divine source for the purpose of attendance, granting blessings, and to create a "oneness" between certain participants and the Divine presence. A ceremony is also often (but not necessarily) a form of celebration. A ceremony commonly has nonparticipants, who may or may not share in religious beliefs, but who attend simply to be witness to the ceremonial event, or for the celebratory function and events of the ceremony. It bears mentioning that the outcome of a ceremony is either predictable or commonly understood.

A ritual is thaumaturgical in that a Divine source is invoked for the purpose of requesting Divine intervention, and creating a discernible change in the physical world. "Thaumaturgy" can be roughly translated from its original Greek to mean "wonder-work" or "miracle work." Examples would be prayers for good fortune, requests for healing of the sick, or a positive outcome to a specific endeavor. Rituals rarely involve nonparticipants or ensuing celebration. Also, the outcome of a ritual is not generally considered predictable.

Answer 2

A ritual is a set of actions or behaviors performed in a specific order and manner, often with symbolic meaning, to achieve a desired outcome. A ceremony is a formal event or occasion that typically involves rituals, customs, and traditions to mark a significant event or milestone. In essence, a ceremony often incorporates rituals as part of the overall event.