The Sacred Rituals Of Christianity Essay - 1616 Words

The sacred rituals of Christianity, called sacraments, vary greatly between Christian denominations. Yet other practices are common to virtually all forms of Christianity. Most Christians attend worship services at church on Sundays where worshipers generally sing and pray and a sermon is brought forth. Most churches have a special ritual for ordination, or designating a person fit for a leadership position in the church. At home, most practicing Christians pray regularly and many read the Bible. Although there are seven sacraments practiced in the Roman Catholic Church, Christians usually recognize only two of the seven, baptism and Holy Communion, as genuine sacraments (123-124). Almost all Christians practice baptism and the Eucharist (The Holy Communion), which are ancient traditions connected to Jesus and the apostles. Baptism and communion are considered sacraments - sacred rituals instituted by Christ himself. Another is the practice of fasting before partaking of the Holy Com munion. There are many rituals in the Christian community however Baptism, the Holy Communion and Fasting are very significant in the Christian view, and are tied together for the purpose of cleansing and salvation. According to accounts in the Gospels the first person to conduct a baptism in the New Testament is John the Baptist. John baptized his followers as a sign of repentance. John was conducting his ministry of baptism for repentance when Jesus asked to be baptized by him. His call toShow MoreRelatedThe Barriers Between Cultures, Patterns, And The Differences Amongst Society1647 Words   |  7 Pagescommunication patterns, and the differences amongst society all factor down to one thing, religion. Religion is vastly universal. It encompasses a wide variety of sub-sectors, as it houses many diverse types of religions, each with varying beliefs, ideals, rituals, and languages. Religion is a way of life, it brings people together. It evokes a new way of thinking, feeling, and understanding the complexity of life. The specific role religion plays in an individual s life is different for everyone. Many peopleRead MoreChristianity And The New Testament1311 Words   |  6 PagesChristianity is a religion that is based on the life experiences and teachings of Jesus Christ in the New Testament. Christianity is the largest religion on Earth, with over two billion followers which are called Christians. Jesus is believed to be the Son of God and the Savior of Humanity who is coming as Christ in the flesh which is prophesized in the Old Testament. Christian’s profession of faith is that Jesus suffered for everyone, died and was buried in the tomb, and was resurrected from theRead MoreHow Is Christianity Living and Dynamic and How Does It Answer the Enduring Questions of Life?1271 Words   |  6 PagesChristianity is a faith based religious tradition, of which the follower is considered to be a Christian adherent. Thus, being a living tradition, Christianity is continually subject to change in accordance to the needs of the adherent and reaffirming the Christian tradition within a contemporary context. The aspects, which attribute the present existence of Christianity and its dynamism therein, include sacred texts and writings, ritual and ceremonies, beliefs and believers, and ethics. UltimatelyRead MoreElements of Religious Traditions Essay939 Words   |  4 Pagesof these religions share eight elements. These include a belief system, community, central myths, rituals, ethics, characteristic emotional experiences, mat erial expression and sacredness. These various religions all have special traditions that honor the sacred to which its followers believe. Although, there are key critical issues in the study of religion, there are also many benefits. Christianity, Buddhism, and Islam are three examples of religion types that are practiced throughout the worldRead MoreMax Weber And Durkheim s Views On Religion1250 Words   |  5 Pagesobjects, and rituals, which are sacred daily symbols referred to as the profane. Sacred objects are often believed to have divine properties that separate them from profane objects (96). Even in more advanced cultures, people still view sacred objects with a sense of reverence and awe, even if they do not believe that the objects have some special power. Durkheim argued that religious beliefs and rituals is not the element of the supernatural but the concept of the scared (95). The Sacred can be eitherRead MoreAmerican History : Native American Religion1615 Words   |  7 PagesAmerican History: Native American Religion The North American community in today’s worlds has embraced Christianity, Muslim and other popular religious beliefs. Finding the ancient religious practices in action is rare, but not impossible. The communities had their own believes concerning gods and philosophies of good and evil before they were colonized. The communities have lost most of their beliefs and practices as they took place in the earlier community to popular religions which were introducedRead MoreAccording to the book, World Religions Today, by John L. Esposito, Darrell J. Fasching, and Todd1600 Words   |  7 PagesAccording to the book, World Religions Today, by John L. Esposito, Darrell J. Fasching, and Todd Lewis, under the section entitled The Sacred, it states that religion â€Å"expresses our sense of being â€Å"tied and bound† by relations of obligation to whatever powers we believe govern our destiny-whether these powers be natural or supernatural, personal or impersonal, one or many† (9). Furthermore, the book World Religions Today, by John L. Esposito, Darrell J. Fasching, and Todd Lewis, states that the religionsRead MoreThe Four Characteristics of Religion1212 Words   |  5 Pagesin and is defined by its characteristics. To create a dynamic, living and breathing religion, it must have all of these characteristics that distinguish and separate a religion from others. These include beliefs and believers, sacred texts and writings, ethics and rituals and ceremonies. Each and everyone of these aspects combine and interrelate to create a powerful and passionate, living faith tradition. Beliefs is a term best defined as ideas that are considered true and express the self understandingRead MoreConfucianism : The Way Of Propriety1265 Words   |  6 Pagesaspects when compared to Christianity. These four being; the founders, Ren and Agape, The Golden Rule, and Religious Beliefs (God/Gods). Confucianism, or as Steven Prothero titled it in his book, The Way of Propriety, was founded by Confucius. Confucius regards himself as a transmitter of ancient truths rather than an inventor of new ones. Confucius studied hard and used his expertise to gain him a job as a private teacher in China. With his diverse background in ritual, archery, charioteeringRead MoreA Prayer Ceremony For Christmas1253 Words   |  6 Pagesand fire, and all colours of the rainbow.† Religion is the set of beliefs, feelings, principles and practices that define the relations between human being and sacred or holiness. There are multiple religions that people follow such as Christianity, Islam, Hinduism and Buddhism. Source 1 is strongly based on the religion of Christianity as it is a ceremony to prepare for Christmas which celebrates the birth of Jesus. Jesus is the Son of God who was born over 2000 years ago. He was crucified and