liturgy

English translation: the body of religious rites and ceremonies

01:10 Aug 27, 2002

English language (monolingual) [PRO]
Art/Literary

English term or phrase: liturgy

Can anyone provide a concrete explanation with examples for what this word means, ie Christian liturgy, Jewish liturgy.. Does the mean New Testament and Old Testament respectively (and associated other texts)? What about Eastern religions.. Buddhism.. Hinduism.. Moslem.. ?

Definition 1. of, relating to, or constituting formal public worship or liturgy.
Definition 2. used in, or using forms of, liturgy.

Related Words spiritual

Derived Forms liturgically, adv.

Thank you!

Deb Phillips (X)

Selected answer:the body of religious rites and ceremonies

Explanation:
The term liturgy refers to the rites and ceremonies prescribed by the Church (of various different strands of the Christian and Jewish faiths) for communal worship. The central focus of the liturgy is the Eucharist, in which Christians take consecrated wine and bread in commemoration of the Last Supper and Christ's death.

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Note added at 2002-08-27 01:19:53 (GMT)
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Here is a good description of the Jewish Lithurgical practices:

http://www.barmitzvahs.org/judaism/liturgy.php

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Note added at 2002-08-27 01:45:08 (GMT)
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In response to your question about other religions... no is the answer.
The term liturgy is used, to my knowledge with regard to the main strands of Christianity: Catholicism, Orthodox, Protestantism; and then also in the Jewish faith.

Selected response from:

Libero_Lang_Lab
United Kingdom
Local time: 16:41

Grading comment

Graded automatically based on peer agreement. KudoZ.
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer

SUMMARY OF ALL EXPLANATIONS PROVIDED

5 +6

the body of religious rites and ceremonies

Libero_Lang_Lab

4 +6

a religious service

Michael Tovbin

4 +3

the customary repertoire of ideas, phrases or observances

Kim Metzger

5 +1

three meanings

cheungmo

from Greek "work of the people"

Tudor Soiman

Answers

5 mins confidence:

peer agreement (net): +6

the body of religious rites and ceremonies

Libero_Lang_Lab
United Kingdom
Local time: 16:41
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in pair: 137

Grading comment

Graded automatically based on peer agreement. KudoZ.

5 mins confidence:

peer agreement (net): +6

a religious service

Explanation:
Etymology: Late Latin liturgia, from Greek leitourgia public service, from Greek (Attic) leïton public building (from Greek laos -- Attic leOs -- people) + -ourgia -urgy
Date: 1560
1 often capitalized : a eucharistic rite
2 : a rite or body of rites prescribed for public worship
3 : a customary repertoire of ideas, phrases, or observances

Simply, it is a service according to some religious flavor. I think mostly in reference to Catholicism.

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Note added at 2002-08-27 01:18:00 (GMT)
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Oh! Credit where credit is due:

The definition is from Merriam Webster

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Note added at 2002-08-27 01:56:47 (GMT)
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Nah! It is Michael.

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Note added at 2002-08-27 01:57:21 (GMT)
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Nah! It is Michael.

Michael Tovbin
United States
Local time: 10:41
Native speaker of:

English,

Russian
PRO pts in pair: 108

7 mins confidence:

peer agreement (net): +3

the customary repertoire of ideas, phrases or observances

Explanation:
This definition, one of several in Merriam Webster's, seems to sum it up and would apply to any religion.

Merriam Webster's Dictionary

Kim Metzger
Mexico
Local time: 09:41
Native speaker of:

English
PRO pts in pair: 2249

11 mins confidence:

peer agreement (net): +1

three meanings

Explanation:
The first: a eucharistic rite (meaning a rite involving the eucharist - the bread and wine of a christian mass)

The second: a rite or the body of rites for public worship of a religion

The third: a body of beliefs, ideas, phrases, observances (usually religious beliefs, ideas, etc.).

So, Christian liturgy and Jewish liturgy probably means "Christian teachings and beliefs", "Jewish teachings and beliefs"

cheungmo
PRO pts in pair: 27

3 days 22 hrs confidence:

from Greek "work of the people"

Explanation:
In the beginning: The earliest Christians were either Jews or God-fearing gentiles who worshiped in the synagogue; therefore, early worship followed the pattern of the synagogue liturgy, which it still does in Lutheran, Orthodox, Anglican, and Roman Catholic churches today (among others). Justin Martyr describes Christian worship in the second century as following this pattern. The word liturgy comes from a Greek word meaning ‘work of the people.’ In the Eastern Church, the term is restricted to the Communion portion of the service. In the Western Church, the term refers to the entire order of worship and is generally used in churches where the congregation performs parts of the worship service by speaking or praying in unison.

Liturgy in the east has not changed much for the last thousand years. The service is elaborate and the clergy and the choir perform it in the presence of the congregation. The role of the congregation is in many cases limited to standing in awe and adoration. Western liturgy has always been characterized by simplicity. Over the centuries, the west was dominated by only two or three liturgical styles, which gradually conformed themselves to Roman practice. During the Protestant Reformation the liturgy was reformed to expand the role of the congregation and to make Communion more frequent. The idea of a preplanned worship service was rejected first by the Anabaptists, then by the Quakers and the Puritans. Most religious groups that originated in the United States during the nineteenth century can be characterized as ‘nonliturgical’ in the sense that the congregation has no formal, corporate role in worship other than to be the audience and to join in singing.

A traditional Christian worship service is derived from the synagogue service and consists of two parts:

The Synaxis (The Service of the Word)
The first part is modeled on the liturgy of the synagogue, and in ancient times as in the present, it is public. Synaxis comes from the same Greek word as synagogue; it means gathering together. This part of the service consists of prayers, scripture readings, psalms, hymns, and the sermon. Because it is centered on the Word of God, it is often called the Service of the Word.
The Eucharist (The Service of Communion)
The second part of the service (which is occasionally omitted, especially if no clergy are present) is the Communion service; in ancient times it was called the Eucharist, the Greek word for thanksgiving. It consists of hymns and scripture readings and the sharing of the bread and wine. Originally, this part of the service was secret; only baptized Christians could attend or participate. However, overheard acclamations (“this is my body, take, eat”) led pagans to conclude that cannibalism and other untoward things were going on and that led to violent persecutions. As a result, this part of the service is open to the public as well. In modern churches, worshipers greet each other and announcements are made during the break between the Synaxis (the Service of the Word) and the Eucharist (the Communion Service). This has been the basic anatomy of Christian worship from at least Justin Martyr to the present.
Various parts of Christendom call Communion by various terms. Anglicans and Orthodox still prefer the original name, Eucharist, though the Orthodox also call it the Divine Liturgy or just the Liturgy. Other groups call the service Communion, which is what is achieved, or the Last Supper, which is what it commemorates.

Tudor Soiman
Local time: 18:41
Native speaker of:

Romanian
PRO pts in pair: 8

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