The Orthodox Study Bible: Creed: Part I
The review of this fine, academic, source continues.
Orthodox Church in America: The Divine Liturgy Glossary from Reverend John Morris, PhD
Quote
'A statement of belief. Creeds in their earlier form were used by the apostles, and many are recorded in the New Testament (Eph. 5: 14; 1 Tim. 3: 16; 2 Tim. 2:11-13). The creed used throughout the Church was adopted at the Council of Nicea in A.D. 325 and expanded at the Council of Constantinople in A.D. 381. The Nicene Creed is used at baptisms, the Divine Liturgy, and in personal prayers.' (796).
Comments
From my Reformed, Anabaptist (evangelical) theological background, the Divine Liturgy is not terminology used. This is within Orthodoxy, language for the 'Eucharistic service of the Orthodox Church'. (802).
Cited
'The word liturgy means common work or common action. The Divine Liturgy is the common work of the Orthodox Church. It is the official action of the Church formally gathered together as the chosen People of God. The word church, as we remember, means a gathering or assembly of people specifically chosen and called apart to perform a particular task.'
'The Divine Liturgy is the common action of Orthodox Christians officially gathered to constitute the Orthodox Church. It is the action of the Church assembled by God in order to be together in one community to worship, to pray, to sing, to hear God’s Word, to be instructed in God’s commandments, to offer itself with thanksgiving in Christ to God the Father, and to have the living experience of God’s eternal kingdom through communion with the same Christ Who is present in his people by the Holy Spirit.'
'The Divine Liturgy is always done by Orthodox Christians on the Lord’s Day which is Sunday, the “day after Sabbath” which is symbolic of the first day of creation and the last day—or as it is called in Holy Tradition, the eighth day—of the Kingdom of God. This is the day of Christ’s resurrection from the dead, the day of God’s judgment and victory predicted by the prophets, the Day of the Lord which inaugurates the presence and the power of the “kingdom to come” already now within the life of this present world.'
'The Divine Liturgy is also celebrated by the Church on special feast days.'
Greenville, South Carolina
Cited
Cited
'What is the Purpose of the Divine Liturgy?
The transformation of wine, water and bread into the Divine Body and Blood of Christ; for the sanctification of the faithful, who receive remission of their sins and the inheritance of the kingdom of heaven. St.Cabasilas
It is the coming together of the heavenly Kingdom with earthly life. The Church of heaven, the Church triumphant, and the church here on earth, the Church Militant, join in this grand celebration to glorify God and to be in union with Him.
We come to this service to be transformed through the partaking of Holy Communion. This is the same as saying we partake of Jesus Christ's Flesh and Divinity. Holy Communion and the Divine Liturgy cannot be separated. This the greatest of all mysteries. All should come prepared to be partakers of the Divine gift.'
'What is the Meaning of the Word Liturgy?
The word Liturgy comes from an ancient Greek word leitos (people) and erogon (work), Literally it means the work of the people. This word was used initially to refer to service given to the state by citizens for the betterment of the public good. We can think of the divine Liturgy as the public work for the benefit of the people so God’s people will be cared for by Him. As we participate in this service we are serving God through our work in the Divine Liturgy.'
λειτουργία/leitourgia
'Liturgy (leitourgia) is a Greek composite word meaning originally a public duty, a service to the state undertaken by a citizen. Its elements are leitos (from leos = laos, people) meaning public, and ergo (obsolete in the present stem, used in future erxo, etc.), to do. From this we have leitourgos, "a man who performs a public duty", "a public servant", often used as equivalent to the Roman lictor; then leitourgeo, "to do such a duty", leitourgema, its performance, and leitourgia, the public duty itself.'
Smartfaith.net
Cited
'Kevin Simington (B.Th. Dip. Min.) is a theologian, apologist and social commentator.'
Cited
'Contrary to some people’s misguided views, liturgy was not a later ‘add-on’ instituted by a stultified church but was a vital part of Christian worship from the very beginning. The New Testament contains many references to the ongoing practice of liturgical worship as well as actual examples of first century liturgy.'
Comments
The smartfaith.net comments are in agreement with the Orthodox Study Bible, in as much that liturgy was practiced within the New Testament and the New Testament era. To use the first New Testament reference from the Orthodox text, quoting a saying in Ephesians 5: 14:
New American Standard Bible (NASB)
Footnotes
a) Ephesians 5:14 Or He
The Orthodoxy text uses the
New King James Version (NKJV)
14 Therefore He says:
“Awake, you who sleep,
Arise from the dead,
And Christ will give you light.”
The Orthodoxy text states that verse 14 is an early baptism hymn, and that baptism is illumination. (450).
From my Reformed and Anabaptist perspective, baptism is a key New Testament practice (ordinance or sacrament, depending on the denomination) that represents a sign of regeneration (John 3, Titus 3, 1 Peter 1: 23) for a believer.
1 Peter 3: 21
New American Standard Bible (NASB)
Corresponding to that, baptism now saves you—not the removal of dirt from the flesh, but an appeal to God for a good conscience—through the resurrection of Jesus Christ...
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A good conscience exists via regeneration and the applied atoning and resurrection work of Jesus Christ to a believer.
A good conscience exists via regeneration and the applied atoning and resurrection work of Jesus Christ to a believer.
From this brief review in Part 1, we can see that a creed is a statement of belief; whereas liturgy is a form of public worship. So, a liturgy may be a creed and vice-versa.
Both are a biblical means of expressing theological truths.
Selected source from cited links
Fortescue, A. (1910). Liturgy, In The Catholic Encyclopedia. New York: Robert Appleton Company. Retrieved March 20, 2022 from New Advent: http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/09306a.htm
