History of Christian Worship

Corporate worship among early Christians was grounded in the Jewish practice of synagogue Sabbath worship and Temple sacrifices on Holy Days. Its centerpiece was the Eucharist, or Lord's Supper, which Jesus instituted before his crucifixion. Following the separation of Christianity from Judaism, and the increased inclusion of Gentile converts, various additional practices emerged in different communities. Greater uniformity emerged after the end of persecutions in the early fourth century with the Eucharist being clearly established as the central act of Christian worship. A variety of rites for the Eucharist prevailed up to the Reformation. In sixteenth century England the Reformers gathered resources from a variety of rites and practices and reworked them in the production of a Book of Common Prayer. This resource provided a comprehensive tool for corporate worship for all English Christians in their own language.