# Habit _Christian conduct and communication are associated with habit and ritual: time dedicated to personal and communal practises that sets a heartbeat of a living faith._ ## Sacred time Sacred time may be used to mark periods of reflection, thanks, or recollection. A combination of ritual and practise are used to make space for both joy and sorrow, both individually and in community, in a recurring pattern. These patterns may be referred to as _liturgy_: the customary, often formulaic, engagement with divine or sacred matters. ### Calendars An annual cycle of holy days (from where we get our English word, _holiday_) is common to many Jewish and Christian communities. Events in the Jewish year can be seen developing through the Old Testament. Similarly, the Christian ritual year also developed over an extended period of church history, though largely outside the Christian scriptures. While there are many community variations on date, emphasis, and terminology, the calendars below give a general overview of each tradition. #### Jewish > [!image] > ![[habit-hebrew-calendar.svg]] > The Jewish Year The Jewish festivals are often characterised as spring and autumn feasts. In the spring, the Feast of Unleavened Bread and Passover commemorate the departure from Egypt. At this time the offering of first-fruits takes place. During the subsequent Feast of Weeks both barley and wheat harvests are gathered, ending with the Feast of Weeks (Pentecost). Autumn feasts begin with Jewish New Year, Rosh Hashanah (Feast of Trumpets) and the _"10 days of awe"_ when time is set aside to reflect and repent of past sins. The 10 days are ended by Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement), when sins are confessed. This is followed by the Feast of Tabernacles remembering the 40 year wanderings of the Exodus story. #### Christian > [!image] > ![[habit-christian-calendar.svg]] > The Christian Year The Christian calendar can be though of in two halves: _the Story of Jesus_, told through the first half of the year from advent to Pentecost, and _the Story of the People of God_, told through the ordinary time in the remaining half of the year. There is considerable overlap between the Jewish and Christian years, notably with Passover/Holy week, and Pentecost/Feast of Weeks. ### Routine Setting aside time for meditation and worship has a long Biblical history. Although not the subject of an explicit commandment, a custom of praying three times a day had emerged by the time of the exile.[^3xday] > [!bible] > "\[Daniel\] continued to go to his house, which had windows in its upper room open toward Jerusalem, and to get down on his knees three times a day to pray to his God..." — Daniel 6:10 (NRSV) Jesus also developed a custom of regular personal prayer. No specific schedule is given, but morning (Mark 1:35) and evening (Mark 6:46-47) prayers are described alongside occasional prayers (e.g. for food, Matt 14:19). Whilst factors such as solitude and privacy are both recorded and encouraged factors in prayer practise (Matt 6:6; Luke 5:16), there remains considerable precedent for communal prayer (1 Ki 8:22) and immediate, necessary prayer (Neh 2:4). Both shorter and longer periods of prayer are attested in the Bible, though guidance is skewed toward brevity (Ecc 5:2; Matt 6:7-8). Adopting kneeling and standing postures are both described. With such varied precedent there has been (and remains) considerable diversity in Christian tradition regarding prayer and worship, with many systems and cycles designed to encourage regular and comprehensive periods of meditation. Seven prayer times are described in _Apostolic Traditions_, attributed to Hippolytus in the second or third century.[^hippolytus] These developed into routines incorporating Bible reading, prayer, and hymns, potentially varying by season. As the complexity of these procedures increased so did the need for them to be documented, resulting in works such as a _Book of Hours_.[^liturgies] | Time | 7 prayer times | Latin | Name | |-------|----------------|----------|----------------------| | 02:00 | Midnight | Matins | The Vigil | | 05:00 | On rising. | Lauds. | Dawn Prayer | | 06:00 | | Prime | Early morning Prayer | | 09:00 | Third hour | Terce | Mid-morning Prayer | | 12:00 | Sixth hour | Sext | Midday Prayer | | 15:00 | Ninth hour | None | Mid-afternoon Prayer | | 18:00 | Lighting lamps | Vespers | Evening Prayer | | 19:00 | Bedtime | Compline | Night Prayer | All times and equivalences in this table are approximate; some (dawn, lighting lamps) would vary with season and geography. Outside the major Christian traditions a range of Bible reading plans and have been developed to encourage familiarity with holy texts.[^plans] ## Sacred space Sacred space in the Bible often has echoes of the garden of Eden, and incorporates decorations and imagery which invoke aspects of this narrative. | Imagery | Eden | Tabernacle | Temple | Ezekiel's Vision | |----------|----------|------------|-----------|------------------| | East | Gen 2:8 | Ex 27:13 | 1 Ki 7:21 | Eze 41:14 | | Trees | Gen 2:9 | Ex 36:20 | 1 Ki 6:18 | Eze 41:18 | | Water | Gen 2:10 | Ex 30:18 | 1 Ki 7:23 | Eze 47:1 | | Gold | Gen 2:11 | Ex 25:11 | 1 Ki 6:21 | _N/A_ | | Man/work | Gen 2:15 | Ex 28:1 | 1 Ki 7:11 | Eze 44:15 | | Cherubim | Gen 3:24 | Ex 25:18 | 1 Ki 6:23 | Eze 41:20 | Note that the "second temple" is omitted for brevity here, as it can be seen as a reconstruction of the first Temple. Jewish sacred space functioned to regulate interaction with God. The privilege of working directly with the deity was lost when humans were banished from the garden. ### Temples The layout of sacred space is not unique to the people of Israel or the Bible, with similar structures found in adjacent cultures and communities. This space was at the heart of Israel's religious life, and the symbolic dwelling place of Yahweh with his people. #### Tabernacle > [!image] > ![[habit-temple-tabernacle.jpg]] > This reconstruction of the Tabernacle can be found in Timna National Park, Israel. The Tabernacle shares a general layout with the military encampment of Rameses II: a wider encampment with a central tent containing a reception three times longer than it was wide, and Pharoah's throne room adorned with falcon wings (reminiscent of the Cherubim of the tabernacle, Ex 25:20). A range of ancient near eastern deities are also referred to as dwelling in tents (Ugarit, Egypt, and Mesopotamia).[^tabernacle] As a nomadic people Israel travelled in the presence of God, a divine warrior ready to lead, defend, and protect them, but of whose ideals they consistently fell short (Ex 33:7; Num 11:16, 14:22). #### First > [!image] > ![[habit-temple-first.jpg]] > "Credit: Jeremy Park, Bible-Scenes.com, used under CC4 ([Link](https://www.freebibleimages.org/illustrations/bs-solomon-temple-outer/))" After Israel settled the land, the tabernacle was set up semi-permanently in Shiloh (Jos 18:1).[^shiloh] The temple was built by King Solomon as a permanent residence to replace the tabernacle tent, based on the plans of his father David (1 Chr 28:2). The Assyrian invasion of Judah signalled the end for the temple, which was burned and looted (2 Ki 24:9). With no functioning temple or ritual system, religious distinction had to be based on behaviour (Dan 1:16, 3:18, 6:10). #### Ezekiel > [!image] > ![[habit-temple-ezekiel.jpg]] > A potential visualisation of the Temple seen in vision by the prophet Ezekiel (3D render) The Temple of Ezekiel's Prophecy (Ezek 40-47) describes "ideal Israel": a combination of land, king, and people united in the worship of God. The vision shown to Ezekiel, a priest in Babylonian captivity (Ezek 1:3), indicated that God had not abandoned his people despite the destruction of the first Temple and its kingship, and the subsequent exile of its population from God's land. While Ezekiel would recognise many features of the Temple, a range of subtle changes[^toep] to tradition hinted that the future would not be a simple repetition of the past. #### Second > [!image] > ![[habit-temple-second.jpg]] > This reconstruction of the second temple can be found in the Israel Museum, Jerusalem. Rebuilt by the returning exiles around 515BCE (Ezr 6:15), the second temple stood for over half a millennia before it was destroyed by the Romans in 70CE. This is the temple that stood in the time of Jesus, having been greatly expanded by Herod the Great around 20-10BCE. Today the Temple mount is dominated by the Dome of the Rock, which lies atop the Foundation Stone which is a possible historical location for the Holy of Holies. ## Events Two widely recognised Christian rituals are baptism and the ongoing participation in discipleship through sharing bread and wine. Alongside these are rites which mark significant life events such as birth, marriage, and death. ### Baptism Ritual cleansing formed part of Jewish religious life, and was established in the Torah (Lev 17:15-16). Numerous pools and baths (_mikvaot_) with stair access have been discovered in Israel, dating from the Hellenistic and Roman periods before Jesus. Cleansing as a process of repentance seems to have been an established practise in the Qumran community. > [!bible] > "Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit" — Matthew 28:19 (NRSV) Use of baptism as an initiation rite into the Christian community is attested through the book of Acts (Acts 2:38, 9:18), and notably in the narrative of the Ethiopian eunuch (Acts 8:36), where it continues to be associated with repentance and cleansing. Later commentary likens baptism to a transition from sinful life, through death, to a resurrected new life modelled by Jesus (Rom 6:3-4). The new disciple seeks to subdue the self-centered natural desires associated with their former lives (Rom 6:6). > [!image] > ![[habit-baptism.svg]] > The process and symbology of baptism. Later evidence from the early church community includes prescriptions for baptismal candidates and those performing the baptism.Sprinkling with water was permitted where sufficient water was unavailable for full immersion.[^didache] ### Bread and wine Also known as _Eucharist_ (Greek: _eucharista_, "thanksgiving") or _Communion_, this collective ritual memorialises Jesus' Last Supper with his disciples (Luke 22:19-20 & 1 Cor 11:23-26). Sharing communion remains a ritual common to all denominations of Christianity with little significant variation.[^withold] In his first _Apology_ written in the second century {% include date.html era="ce" %}, Justin Martyr refers to Sunday as a customary time for reading, prayer, and sharing of the Eucharist.[^sunday] The _Didache_ also gives minimal instruction concerning the Eucharist, but does not prescribe a particular meeting time. > [!quote] > "But let no one eat or drink of this eucharistic thanksgiving, but they that have been baptized into the name of the Lord; for concerning this also the Lord hath said: _'Give not that which is holy to the dogs.'_" — Didache 9.5 Different communities regulate access to the "Lord's table" (participating in the Eucharist) with a range of policies, including: | Communion | Participation | |-----------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | Open | Any member of any denomination may participate; some communities allow unbaptised participation. | | Closed | Any baptised member of the same denomination may participate. | | Close | Baptised members of the local congregation may participate. | ## Summary 1. Providing structure for sacred time and space establishes a shared context for community worship. 2. Religious ritual invokes symbology to mark rites of passage, develop communal memory, and persist attitudes and outlooks. 3. Regular meeting times and organisational structures also provide a basis for logistical activities required by a community. Ritual provides a heartbeat for community engagement with the God and one another. As we continue in these practises we develop summaries, see strengths and weaknesses, and interrogate the basis of our religious life: this is how we develop [[Experience]]. ## Appendix ### Bibliography - Ritmeyer, K. & Ritmeyer, L. (2015). _The Ritual of the Temple in the Time of Christ_. Carta. (Amazon [UK](https://www.amazon.co.uk/Ritual-Temple-Time-Christ/dp/9652208620) | [US](https://www.amazon.com/Ritual-Temple-Time-Christ/dp/9652208620), [Ritmeyer](https://www.ritmeyer.com/product/books/the-ritual-of-the-temple-in-the-time-of-christ/)). - McNamara, D. (2011). _How to Read Churches: A crash course in Christian architecture_. Herbert Press. (Amazon [UK](https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1408128365) | [US](https://www.amazon.com/dp/1408128365), [Waterstones](https://www.waterstones.com/book/how-to-read-churches/dr-denis-r-mcnamara/9781408128367)). - Boyett, M. (2014). _Found: A story of Questions, Grace, & Everyday Prayer_. Worthy Publishing. (Amazon [UK](https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1617952168) | [US](https://www.amazon.com/dp/1617952168), [Eden](https://www.eden.co.uk/christian-books/spiritual-growth/grace/found/)). ### Notes [^3xday]: Psalm 55:17 mentions praying morning, noon, and evening, though this may be understood as a merism for "all hours" rather than a schedule. [^hippolytus]: Thought to have lived in Rome around 170-235, Hippolytus' description of seven prayer times seems to be a continuation of Jewish practise and based on scriptural precedent (Ps 119:62,164), alongside indications of its use or continuation in the early church period (Acts 3:1; 10:3,9; 16:25). [^liturgies]: The following Wikipedia resources provide a good introduction: [Canonical Hours](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canonical_hours) (also known as the _Divine Service_, _Divine Duty_, _Divine Office_), [Liturgy of the Hours](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liturgy_of_the_Hours) (Catholic), [Book of Common Prayer](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Book_of_Common_Prayer) (Anglican), and the concept of a [Book of Hours](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Book_of_hours). [^plans]: "Do it yourself" Bible reading schedules allow for personal reading at any pace (e.g. [Jehovah's Witnesses](https://www.jw.org/en/bible-teachings/bible-study-tools/bible-reading-plan/)), or as [part of a calendar](http://www.christadelphia.org/readplan.php) to facilitate a community reading together. Others may be [arranged](https://www.biblestudytools.com/bible-reading-plan/) by book, chronology, or theme. [^tabernacle]: For more information on the Tabernacle, see: _M. Homan, “The Divine Warrior in His Tent: A Military Model for Yahweh’s Tabernacle,” BRev 16 (Dec 2000): 22–32, 55_. ([Link](https://www.baslibrary.org/bible-review/16/6/8), [Summary](https://www.thetorah.com/article/the-tabernacle-in-its-ancient-near-eastern-context)). [^shiloh]: An overview of the archaeological evidence for the tabernacle's period in Shiloh can be found [here](https://www.ritmeyer.com/2019/11/13/shiloh/). [^toep]: The altar could be ascended by steps (Ex 20:26 c.f. Eze 43:17), running water in the Temple is introduced (Eze 47:1) that people must walk through when visiting (Eze 46:9), no gold adornments are mentioned, a change in the order of priests (Eze 44:10, 15). [^didache]: The Didache is a first or second century document describing the practises of the early church. It provides the following instruction: _"...baptize in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit in living (running) water. But if thou hast not living water, then baptize in other water; and if thou art not able in cold, then in warm. But if thou hast neither, then pour water on the head thrice in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. But before the baptism let him that baptizeth and him that is baptized fast, and any others also who are able; and thou shalt order him that is baptized to fast a day or two before. "_ (Didache 7.1-4) [^sunday]: First Apology of Justin Martyr, 66: _"And on the day called Sunday, all who live in cities or in the country gather together to one place, and the memoirs of the apostles or the writings of the prophets are read... the president verbally instructs, and exhorts to the imitation of these good things, Then we all rise together and pray, and, as we before said, when our prayer is ended, bread and wine and water are brought, and the president in like manner offers prayers and thanksgivings, according to his ability, and the people assent, saying, 'Amen'; and there is a distribution to each, and a participation of that over which thanks have been given, and to those who are absent a portion is sent by the deacons. And those who are well to do, and willing, give what each thinks fit; and what is collected is deposited with the president, who succours the orphans and widows, and those who, through sickness or any other cause, are in want, and those who are in bonds, and the strangers sojourning among us, and in a word takes care of all who are in need."_ ([Wikisource](https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Ante-Nicene_Christian_Library/The_First_Apology_of_Justin_Martyr#Chapter_66)). [^withold]: One of the more significant differences is the Medieval Catholic practise of witholding the wine from the laity, an informal tradition which developed under unclear circumstances, and was explicitly allowed (under authority of bishops) in the Second Vatical Council. Most (all?) major denominations now practise "communion under both kinds". ([Link](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Communion_under_both_kinds)).