Prayer and Worship

Hand Sea Water Waves Clouds Help Save Drown

What Is Contrition?

What Is Contrition? This article covers the meaning of contrition (Latin contritio–a breaking of something hardened). In Holy Writ nothing is more common than exhortations to repentance: “I desire not the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live” (Ezekiel 33:11); “Except you do penance you shall...

Hit Catcher Baseball Home Plate Baseball Game Team

The Virtue Of Reverence

The Virtue Of Reverence People are self-absorbed or outgoing, poetic or lunatic, saintly or devilish. The main difference between these two groups is the presence or absence of the virtue of reverence. The ruling attitude of the reverent person is that there is something more important, more beautiful, more wondrous...

Gratitude Man Glasses Leather Jacket Old Building

Reverence

What Is Reverence? Reverence is “a feeling or attitude of deep respect tinged with awe; veneration“. The word “reverence” in the modern day is often used in relationship with religion. This is because religion often stimulates emotion through recognition of a god, the supernatural, and the ineffable. Reverence involves a humbling of the self in respectful recognition of...

Corpus Christi Field Service Prayer Pray Thoughtful

Thoughts And Prayers

Thoughts And Prayers The phrase “thoughts and prayers” is often used by officials and celebrities in the United States as a condolence after a tragic event, such as a deadly natural disaster or mass shooting. The phrase has received criticism for its repeated usage in the context of gun violence...

Saint Peter Repentant 1823–25, Goya

Contrition

Contrition In Christianity, contrition or contriteness (from the Latin contritus ‘ground to pieces’, i.e. crushed by guilt) is repentance for sins one has committed. The remorseful person is said to be contrite. A central concept in much of Christianity, contrition is regarded as the first step, through Christ, towards reconciliation with...

Teresa of Ávila

Mental Prayer

Mental Prayer Mental prayer is a form of prayer recommended in the Catholic Church whereby one loves God through dialogue, meditating on God’s words, and contemplation of Christ’s face. It is distinguished from vocal prayers which use set prayers, although mental prayer can proceed by using vocal prayers in order to improve dialogue with God....

The Angelus by Millet

Prayer In The Catholic Church

Prayer In The Catholic Church Prayer in the Catholic Church is “the raising of one’s mind and heart to God or the requesting of good things from God.” It is an act of the moral virtue of religion, which Catholic theologians identify as a part of the cardinal virtue of justice....

The Hagia Sophia in Istanbul, Turkey, was converted into a mosque after the Ottoman conquest of Constantinople in 1453

Christian Influences In Islam

Christian Influences In Islam Christian influences in Islam could be traced back to Eastern Christianity, which surrounded the origins of Islam. Islam, emerging in the context of the Middle East that was largely Christian, was first seen as a Christological heresy known as the “heresy of the Ishmaelites”, described as such in Concerning...

Burning of incense during a veneration at Mengjia Longshan Temple, which is dedicated to Guan Yu, Mazu, and others

Veneration Of The Dead

Veneration Of The Dead The veneration of the dead, including one’s ancestors, is based on love and respect for the deceased. In some cultures, it is related to beliefs that the dead have a continued existence, and may possess the ability to influence the fortune of the living. Some groups venerate their direct, familial ancestors....

An illustration from the Birds' Head Haggadah, c. 1300, illustration of the Book of Exodus. The fleeing Jews are depicted with birds' heads, while Pharaoh and most of the pursuing Egyptians have blank circles with or without eyes as heads; two of them, however, have bird's heads. The Judenhut hats are typical of 14th-century Germany.

Aniconism

Aniconism Aniconism is the absence of material representations of both the natural and supernatural worlds in various cultures, particularly in the monotheistic Abrahamic religions. This prohibition of material representations may extend from only God and deities to saint characters, all living beings, and everything that exists. The phenomenon is generally codified by religious traditions and as such it becomes...

The Gorgon, flanked by lionesses and showing her belt clasp of serpents; the pediment of the 580 BCE temple of Artemis in Corfu. Archaeological Museum of Corfu.

Apotropaic Magic

Apotropaic Magic Apotropaic magic (“to ward off” from από- “away” and τρέπειν “to turn”) is a type of magic intended to turn away harm or evil influences, as in deflecting misfortune or averting the evil eye. Apotropaic observances may also be practiced out of vague superstition or out of tradition, as in good...

Three styles of hair covering common among married Orthodox Jewish women. From left to right: snood, fall, and hat.

Shituf

Shituf Shituf (שִׁתּוּף‎; also transliterated as shittuf or schituf; literally “association”) is a term used in Jewish sources for the worship of God in a manner which Judaism does not deem to be purely monotheistic. The term connotes a theology that is not outright polytheistic, but also should not be seen as purely monotheistic. The term is primarily used in reference to the...

Praying worshipper

Worship, Servanthood, And Deep Devotion

Worship, Servanthood, and Deep Devotion Ibada, Ubudiya, And Ubuda This article is about worship, servanthood, and deep devotion in Sufi Tradition. Although some view worship, servanthood, and devotion as synonymous, most Sufi scholars and masters say that these words have different meanings and connotations. ‘Ibada (worship) means fulfilling God’s commands...

A Vietnamese altar for ancestors. Note smaller Buddhist altar set higher in the upper corner

Ancestor Worship

Ancestor Worship Ancestor worship is a religious practice based on the belief that deceased family members have a continued existence, that the spirits of deceased ancestors will look after the family, take an interest in the affairs of the world, and possess the ability to influence the fortune of the...