“Windows To Spirituality”
The Holy Bible
Eastern Christianity |
Spirituality in Eastern ChristianityRole of Christians in the Islamic cultureSee also: Christian influences in Islam |
A Christian Reflection On The New Age A Christian reflection on the New Age refers to a six-year study by the Roman Catholic Church on the New Age movement. The study, published in 2003, is highly critical of the New Age movement and follows the 1989 document Aspects of Christian meditation,...
What Is Eucharistic Adoration? Eucharist adoration is a Eucharistic practice in the Roman Catholic, Anglo-Catholic and some Lutheran traditions, in which the Blessed Sacrament is adored by the faithful. This practice may occur either when the Eucharist is exposed, or when it is not publicly viewable because it is reserved in a place such as a church tabernacle. Adoration is...
Rosary Devotions And Spirituality This article covers the relationship between the Rosary Devotions And Spirituality. Devotion to the Rosary is one of the most notable features of popular Catholic spirituality. According to Pope John Paul II, rosary devotions can foster some central objectives of Christian spirituality and they are “among the finest and most praiseworthy traditions...
What Is Absolution? Absolution is a traditional theological term for the forgiveness experienced by Christians in the life of the Church. It is a universal feature of the historic churches of Christendom, although the theology and the practice of absolution vary between denominations. Some traditions see absolution as a sacrament (the Sacrament of Penance), a...
Christian Meditation Christian meditation is a form of prayer in which a structured attempt is made to become aware of and reflect upon the revelations of God. The word meditation comes from the Latin word meditārī, which has a range of meanings including to reflect on, to study and to practice. Christian meditation is the...
Christian Contemplation Christian contemplation, from contemplatio (θεωρία, Theoria), refers to several Christian practices which aim at “looking at”, “gazing at”, “being aware of” God or the Divine. It includes several practices and theological concepts, and until the sixth century the practice of what is now called mysticism was referred to by the term contemplatio,...
Catholic Devotions The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops defines Catholic devotions as “…expressions of love and fidelity that arise from the intersection of one’s own faith, culture and the Gospel of Jesus Christ.” Catholic devotions are not part of liturgical worship, even if they are performed in a Catholic church,...
Farewell Discourse In the New Testament, Chapters 14-17 of the Gospel of John are known as the Farewell Discourse given by Jesus to eleven of his disciples immediately after the conclusion of the Last Supper in Jerusalem, the night before his crucifixion. The discourse is generally seen as having distinct components. First, Jesus tells the disciples...
Christian Prayer Prayer is an important activity in Christianity, and there are several different forms of Christian prayer. Christian prayers are diverse: they can be completely spontaneous, or read entirely from a text, like the Anglican Book of Common Prayer. The most common prayer among Christians is the “Lord’s Prayer“, which according to...
Reformed Worship Reformed worship is religious devotion to God as conducted by Reformed or Calvinistic Christians, including Presbyterians. Despite considerable local and national variation, public worship in most Reformed and Presbyterian churches is governed by the Regulative principle of worship. General principles and historical overview Further information: Hymnody of continental Europe...
Sacrament A sacrament is a Christian rite recognized as of particular importance and significance. There are various views on the existence and meaning of such rites. Many Christians consider the sacraments to be a visible symbol of the reality of God, as well as a means by which God enacts his grace. Many denominations,...
Divine Service In Lutheran The term “Divine Service” is popularly used among the more conservative Lutheran churches and organizations of the United States and Canada. In the more progressive denominations, such as The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, the terms “Holy Communion” or “the Eucharist” are much more commonly used.The Divine Service (German: Gottesdienst) is a title...
Confirmation In Christian denominations that practice infant baptism, confirmation is seen as the sealing of Christianity created in baptism. Those being confirmed are known as confirmands. In some denominations, such as the Anglican Communion and Methodist Churches, confirmation bestows full membership in a local congregation upon the recipient. In others, such as the Roman Catholic Church,...
Holy Orders In the Christian churches, holy orders are ordained ministries such as bishop, priest, or deacon, and the sacrament or rite by which candidates are ordained to those orders. Churches recognizing these orders include the Catholic Church, the Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox, Anglican, Assyrian, Old Catholic, Independent Catholic and some Lutheran...
Mass In The Catholic Church Mass in the Catholic Church goes by many names. The Mass, known more fully as the Most Holy Sacrifice of the Mass is the central liturgical ritual in the Catholic Church where the Eucharist (Holy Communion) is consecrated. The Church describes the Holy Mass as “the source and...
Anglican Devotions Anglican devotions are private prayers and practices used by Anglican Christians to promote spiritual growth and communion with God. Among members of the Anglican Communion, private devotional habits vary widely, depending on personal preference and on their affiliation with low-church or high-church parishes. Private prayer and Bible reading...
Church Service A church service (also called a service of worship, or simply a service) is a formalized period of Christian communal worship, often held in a church building. It often but not exclusively occurs on Sunday, or Saturday in the case of those churches practicing seventh-day Sabbatarianism. The church service is the...
Anointing Of The Sick Anointing of the sick, known also by other names, is a form of religious anointing or “unction” for the benefit of a sick person. It is practiced by many Christian churches and denominations. Anointing of the sick was a customary practice in many civilizations, including among...
Baptism Baptism, from Greek βαπτίζω (baptízô), is a religious act of purification by water usually associated with admission to a Christian church. Although the primary meaning of the Greek word for baptism is dip or plunge, the term was used also historically to mean perform ablutions. The Christian ceremony of baptism evolved from the Jewish tradition of purification by immersion...
Lutheranism Lutheranism is a major branch of Western Christianity that identifies with the teaching of Martin Luther, a 16th century German reformer. Luther’s efforts to reform the theology and practice of the church launched the Protestant Reformation. The reaction of the government and church authorities to the international spread of his writings, beginning with the 95...
