Worship

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

[
Charles Sprague Pearce (1896). Library of Congress Thomas Jefferson Building, Washington, D.C.] Worship usually refers to specific 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", the body of practices and traditions that correspond to theology.

Religious worship may be performed individually, within informal groups, or as part of a formal meeting. It occurs in a variety of locations including houses, in rented venues, outdoors, or in buildings specially constructed for the purpose, referred to as places of worship. Most religions place an emphasis on regular worship and many organize meetings for this purpose at frequent intervals (often weekly).

In its older sense in the English language of "worthiness" or "respect" (Anglo-Saxon "worthscripe"), "worship" may sometimes refer to actions directed at members of higher social classes (such as lords or monarchs) or to particularly esteemed persons (such as a lover).

Typical elements of worship

Practices in worship vary between religions but typically include one or more of the following:

*prayer;
*sacrifice;
*rituals;
*some forms of meditation;
*holidays, festivals;
*sacraments;
*pilgrimages;
*music or singing;
*dance;
*eating food;
*readings from sacred books;
*listening to a talk or sermon;
*the construction of temples or shrines;
*the creation of idols of the deity.
*private acts of devotion

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", " [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.

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.. [cite web | title=Worship in Islam | url=http://www.islam-info.ch/en/Worship_in_Islam.htm |accessdate=2007-11-25]

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

* Ancestor worship
* Animal worship
* Idol worship
* Imperial cult
* Self worship
* Major world religions

References

External links

* [http://www.worshipsong.com WorshipSong.com (Free Worship Song Resource... Download chord charts, share your songs, sell your mp3's)]
* [http://www.planningcenteronline.com/referer/WikiPedia Planning Center Online (Online Worship Planning)]
* [http://www.worshipwebsite.net/?asource=WikiPedia Online Worship Planning (WorshipWebSite.net)]
* [http://churchpond.com www.ChurchPond.com] Online worship services, thoughts and events from around the world via the latest technology
* [http://www.multisensoryworship.com/ MultisensoryWorship.com]
* [http://www.hotworship.com/ HotWorship.com] Directory of Christian worship sites, live online worship, radio, blogs, podcasts, etc.
* [http://www.addsaintbrieuc.com/musicfrancophone.htm French Worship songs]
* [http://www.worshiphousemedia.com WorshipHouse Media]
* [http://www.taize.fr/en/ the Taizè Community]
* [http://www.pariharam.com/ Hindu Worships]
* [http://www.worship.ca/ Lift Up Your Hearts (Canadian Lutheran)]
* [http://www.worshipmusic.com/ WorshipMusic.com]
* [http://www.worshipinfo.com/ WorshipInfo.com]
* [http://www.worship.fr/ Worship.fr]
* [http://www.oremus.org/liturgy/ the Anglican Liturgy Library at Oremus]
* [http://www.praise.net/ Worship Resource Center]
* [http://www.knightnet.org.uk/worship-resources/the-worship-curve.htm Worship Curve] an outline for Christian worship
* [http://www.calvin.edu/worship Calvin Institute of Christian Worship]
* [http://cafe.daum.net/tochak/ Liturgical Studies-Korean Online Community]
* [http://www.allaboutgod.com/worship.htm Worship] is not just music but a lifestyle
* [http://www.clearvisionpk.com/Ibada.html Concept of Worship in the Quran]
* [http://www.actofworship.org/ Act Of Worship Germany - Feel free to Worship]
* [http://www.experiencingworship.com/ Experiencing Worship]
* [http://www.mcampbell.info/pwomnibus/ The Praise and Worship Omnibus]