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The Simple Guide to Attending Christian Ceremonies: Catholic and Protestant

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WHAT CHRISTIANS BELIEVE

The Christian concept of God is 'triune'. The one, righteous, compassionate Creator is revealed in Three Persons, as God the Father, God the Son (Jesus Christ) and God the Holy Spirit – known as the Holy Trinity. This fundamental doctrine, agreed at the Council of Nicea in AD 325, is known as the Nicene Creed, and also as the Apostles' Creed.

As a living statement of Christian faith, the Creed declares that Jesus Christ, the Son of God, was born human, and that his suffering and death by crucifixion (nailing to a wooden cross) redeemed (saved) us from our sins. His resurrection, when he rose from the dead on the third day, instilled hope and gave the promise of eternal life after death. We are able to enter into a relationship with God the Father through the gift of the human incarnation and sacrifice of Jesus Christ, His son, and through the Holy Spirit working within us personally.

The historical Jesus was a Hebrew preacher born into the tribe of Judah and the House of David, the second king of Israel. The word 'Christ' comes from the Greek Christos, a translation of the Hebrew Messiah, meaning 'anointed one', and Christians believe that he was the Messiah prophesied in the Old Testament who would usher in the final redemption at the end of days. Jesus was born and died a Jew, and it was not until some time after his death that his disciples travelled widely to spread his teachings.

After waves of persecution and martyrdom, and through the support of the Emperor Constantine, who converted to Christianity in 312, the new Christian religion became respectable, and finally, in 380, the state religion of the Roman Empire. It was then that the apostle Peter, who had taken Jesus' message to Rome some two hundred years earlier, was posthumously recognised as a saint, the first Bishop of Rome and so the first Pope. For a thousand years all Christians belonged to a united worldwide 'Catholic' Church. (Catholic, from the Greek katholikos, means general or universal.)

SACRED WRITINGS

The Holy Bible, the Christian holy book, is a complete instruction book for life and for salvation. It consists of two parts: the Jewish Old Testament, which contains the Ten Commandments, the code of moral conduct given to Moses on Mount Sinai, and the New Testament, containing post-crucifixion accounts of the life and teachings of Jesus by those who either knew him or were under the guidance of those who did. Of several New Testament Gospels (Old English godspel, good news) current at the time, only those of the disciples Matthew, Mark, Luke and John were accepted as being canonical, or authoritative religious texts.

The New Testament was written in Greek in the course of the first century AD; the Old Testament texts were a third-century BC Greek translation from the Hebrew scrolls. Both Testaments were translated into Latin, the language of scholarship in Western Europe, and in the Western Church all prayer was conducted in Latin until the Protestant Reformation in the sixteenth century.

Differences between Roman Catholic and Protestant Christianity revolve around the question of spiritual authority and matters of doctrine. The Catholic Church has a single worldwide hierarchical structure of ordained bishops and priests, whose authority is guaranteed by their direct descent through a line of succession from Christ's apostles. At their head is the Pope, the Bishop of Rome, who is considered

Christ's Vicar (representative) on earth and the successor to St Peter. The many different Protestant Churches, broadly speaking, accept only the Bible as the source of revealed truth, believe in the doctrine of 'justification' (salvation) by faith alone, rather than through sacraments or personal merit, and in the priesthood of all believers (discarding the need for a priest to represent them before God). Today the Christian ecumenical movement is attempting to bridge this theological gap.

BRANCHES OF CHRISTIANIT Division

The early Church was universal. However, the seeds of disunity were sown in AD 330, when Constantine moved his capital from Rome to the Greek city of Byzantium, which he renamed Constantinople (modern-day Istanbul, in Turkey). This became the capital of the Eastern Roman Empire, later known as the Byzantine Empire, and latterly the home of the Orthodox Church (see chapter on Orthodoxy).

As security within the Empire deteriorated, communication between the Eastern and Western Church Councils became difficult; despite differences in theology and language – Greek in the East and Latin in the West – the two remained in communion until the great doctrinal schism of 1054. The rift was made final in 1204, when Western Crusaders, on their way to war in the Holy Land, sacked Constantinople, committing acts of savagery and sacrilege.

The Reformation

In Europe, Roman Catholicism continued undivided until the sixteenth century saw the rise of the Protestant Reformation, launched by the German monk Martin Luther. The chief branches of Protestantism were Lutheranism, Calvinism and Zwinglianism. As religion became enmeshed with power politics, the continent was devastated by wars of religion until the middle of the seventeenth century.

In England, after the Act of Supremacy of 1534, King Henry VIII dissolved the monasteries, which finalised his break from Rome and established him as head of a new Church of England, the Anglican Church, whose doctrine was finally established in the Thirty-Nine Articles of Faith. Apart from a brief five-year break under the Catholic Queen Mary Tudor, persecution of Catholics continued in England until the Catholic Relief Act of 1829 – although religious antagonism between Catholicism and Protestantism has never been one-sided.

Since the Reformation, all non-Catholic denominations have been referred to as Protestants. In the United Kingdom, however, the official State Church is the Church of England, whose supreme governor since the time of Henry VIII has been the reigning monarch. The Archbishop of Canterbury, also known as the Primate of All England, is the spiritual leader of the worldwide Anglican community and head of the South of England Province, while the Archbishop of York heads the Northern Province. The established Church of Scotland is Presbyterian (Calvinist) and, until recent times, the established Church in Northern Germany and Scandinavia was Lutheran.

Differences

The Roman Catholic Church has a global hierarchy with ultimate authority vested in the Supreme Pontiff, the Pope, who resides in the Vatican, an independent state within the city of Rome.

Fundamental to Catholic belief and practice are the seven sacraments, solemn religious acts that convey God's grace to the recipient. These rituals are baptism, the Eucharist, confirmation, penance and reconciliation, sacrament of the sick, marriage, and holy orders (ordination). The origin of the word 'sacrament' is the Latin sacramentum (sacred pledge or oath), a translation of the Greek mysterion (mysteries). In Anglican theology a sacrament is defined as 'an outward and visible sign of an inward and spiritual Grace'.

Protestants differ from Roman Catholics in key respects. They do not recognize the supremacy of the Bishop of Rome, or that only celibate men may be ordained as priests. They reject Catholic devotion to the Virgin Mary, mother of Christ, belief in the power of holy intercessors, and the Church's total opposition to contraception and abortion (although some Anglicans and evangelical Churches also oppose these); they also reject the Catholic belief in transubstantiation (that the bread and wine become the body and blood of Christ during the celebration of the Eucharist), and the granting of indulgences (remission by the Church of a penalty for sin in consideration of prayers or other good works). Generally, Protestants accept just the two biblical sacraments of baptism and Holy Communion. Quakers and the Salvation Army have done away with these altogether.

The Anglican Church, however, tends to be divided between the 'High Church' – often called Anglo-Catholic because it closely resembles Catholicism in its forms of worship – and the more liberal tendency that tolerates greater diversity, including the ordination of women, although some evangelical churches also oppose this. Core to Anglican worship are the sacraments of baptism and Holy Communion/Eucharist. Other important rites in common are confirmation, reconciliation (confessions of sins), matrimony, holy orders and anointing the sick.

In Britain, other Protestant Churches are referred to as Non-Conformist. The worldwide Protestant tradition is very diverse and includes the Lutheran Churches, the Reformed Churches (Presbyterians and Congregationalists), Methodists, Baptists, Amish, the Society of Friends (Quakers), the Salvation Army, Unitarians, Pentecostalists, Evangelicals, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormons), Christian Brethren, Seventh Day Adventists, Jehovah's Witnesses, Pentecostalists and the African Independent Churches.

Despite the great variety of Protestant ministries there are shared practices, and this chapter will look at Anglicanism (known in the USA as Episcopalianism) as a representative Protestant Church and at Catholicism.

PLACE OF WORSHIP

The main places of worship for Christians are cathedrals (the seats of bishops, city based), abbeys, originally used by a religious order of monks or nuns, and churches, located in towns and villages. Historically built in the shape of a cross, they vary in decoration from plain and simple to ornate and elaborate. A key aspect of the early Reformation was the simplification of places of worship by the removal of the 'idolatrous' images – icons, paintings, statues, carvings and stained-glass windows – that characterised opulent Catholic churches.

Traditionally, the congregation sat on rows of wooden pews, or benches, designed with upright backrests and a shelf at the back to hold the hymn and prayer books of the people behind. On the floor were hassocks, or firm cushions, on which to kneel in prayer. Now, many churches have replaced pews with chairs that still have book holders, and there are often no hassocks, as most people just bow their heads to pray. The traditional pulpit, a raised enclosed platform used by the preacher, and reached by several integral curved steps, can still be seen in older churches, but most clergy now preach from the front of the church using a lectern (stand) and microphone.

INSIDE AN ANGLICAN CHURCH

As you approach a typical traditional Anglican church with its spire, you may hear the bells that are rung for an hour beforehand to let the community know of the forthcoming service.

Inside there will probably be a central aisle and two outer aisles dividing the pews or seats and leading, from west to east, to the front of the church and the altar – a rectangular table draped with a white cloth and colours appropriate to the liturgical season. On the altar will be a large cross in the centre and candles at each end, and behind it might be a wall-mounted crucifix – a statue of Christ on the cross. There may be flowers, beautifully arranged, at the side.

Many churches have stained-glass windows, which often depict saints or scenes from Jesus' life. In older churches, these were often paid for by the landed gentry who lived in the local manor house and whose tombs may form part of the church floor, or who are otherwise remembered with memorial inscriptions around the walls. The stained glass in modern churches is likely to be more contemporary, and the overall look and feel lighter and brighter. At the back or side of the church will be the font, the stone or metal container for blessed water, usually mounted on a pedestal, used in welcoming babies formally into the Christian faith in the ceremony of baptism, or christening.

Some churches may have a small play area for very young children to use during the service, and many progressive churches have a separate room for children to receive age-appropriate teaching.

Other places of worship in the Protestant tradition might be a chapel (Methodist, Baptist, Free Church), a 'meeting house' (Quaker), a village hall, someone's home or a purpose-built venue, as it is recorded (Matthew 18) that Jesus said 'When two or more are gathered in my name, there also shall I be'. In larger congregations, usually outside Britain, services might be held at venues that accommodate hundreds, if not thousands, of worshippers.

INSIDE A CATHOLIC CHURCH

The layout of a Catholic church will be similar to that described above. However, there are differences. Just inside the main entrance is a wall-mounted, or sometimes free-standing, container of holy water, and you will notice an area (or areas) of candles on circular stands. These candles are votive offerings, which people may light to ask for a prayer to be answered, or to give thanks. In return a small monetary or flower offering is usually given. The Holy Rosary (prayer beads) is still used by many Catholics as a focus of devotion to the Virgin Mary; it consists of a crucifix and five sections of 'decades' (ten beads) separated by single beads. Special prayers, starting with the Lord's Prayer and ending with 'Hail Holy Queen', are said at each bead.

Behind and above the altar will be a wall-mounted statue of Jesus or his mother, the Virgin Mary. Also behind the altar, and slightly elevated, is the Tabernacle, which contains the reserve sacraments (consecrated bread and wine kept for emergency use, such as sudden illness). An altar-lamp burns continuously in front of it. Around the walls you will notice fourteen Stations of the Cross. These are either pictures or carvings in wood or stone that depict the Passion of Christ – his journey from condemnation to death by Pontius Pilate to the placing of his body in the tomb. They are a visual pilgrimage and a focus for both individual and group devotion, especially during Holy Week.

Confession, the sacrament of Reconciliation, is a once-yearly obligation for Catholics, although many will go more frequently. You may notice the confessionals (special divided booths) in which the priest, who can only hear what is said, sits on one side with the person making the confession on the other.

SERVICES

Although the range of daily services offered has diminished because of busy lives and smaller numbers of attendees, morning Communion and Evensong (an early evening prayer service) may be available on at least a couple of weekdays. Details of services and times are usually posted on a notice board outside the church. Devout Christians not attending a daily service may say prayers at home in the morning and at night, before they go to bed. (The Lord's Prayer, said to have been taught to his disciples by Jesus, is popular.)

The Clergy

The key person in an Anglican church is a vicar, who can be male or female and is free to marry if he or she chooses. A rector is a vicar who looks after more than one church in a geographical area. Both have the title of 'Reverend'. Additional help will come from a curate or deacon (ordained ministers awaiting parish appointments) and 'lay members' (not ordained) of the congregation who have been specially trained to assist during services and ceremonies.

The Catholic Church ordains only male priests, who must remain celibate (no marriage or sexual relations) and who are addressed as 'Father'. Assistance with services comes from altar servers and 'ministers', who are members of the congregation specially trained to help with the Holy Eucharist (Thanksgiving).

The colours of clergy vestments (ceremonial clothing) worn for services and the altar dressings will vary depending on the focus of worship in the Christian year but will include purple, green, white, gold and red. Usual clerical daywear includes the stiff white circular collar. In strong Catholic communities, you might still see a Catholic priest wearing a traditional button-fronted cassock (floor-length robe) and biretta (a square hat). Some 'High Church' Anglicans also wear a cassock.

Sunday Service

Every Sunday, known as the Lord's Day, is a celebration of the resurrection and therefore the most popular day to attend a service, which probably starts between 10:00 and 11:00 a.m. and lasts from one and a half to two hours, depending on the individual church. For Catholics, this is a Holy Day of Obligation, and everyone must attend Holy Mass unless they have a good reason for not doing so. A 'High Church', or Anglo-Catholic, service is very similar in structure to that of the Roman Catholic Mass.

Central to both Catholic and Anglican worship is the Holy Eucharist, also called Holy Communion or the Lord's Supper. This sacrament relates to the last supper that Jesus shared with his disciples before his arrest and crucifixion. During this meal he instructed them to remember him when breaking bread and drinking wine, representing the sacrifice he made of his body and blood for the salvation of those who follow him.

Not all Protestant denominations include this sacrament in the main family service, but they may offer it as a separate early-morning service. Therefore the two Sunday services outlined here are an informal Anglican family service without Holy Communion, and the Catholic Mass, where the Holy Eucharist is always the nucleus. English Protestant services use The Book of Common Prayer or Common Worship, while Catholics use two versions of The Missal, and A Simple Prayer Book.

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Excerpted from The Simple Guide to Attending Christian Ceremonies: Catholic and Protestant by Akasha Lonsdale. Copyright © 2011 Kuperard. Excerpted by permission of Bravo Ltd.
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