Worship

====Adoration versus veneration====
[[File:Kizhi KhashezeroWaysideCross 007 7531.jpg|thumb|A wayside cross in [[Kizhi]], Republic of Karelia]]
The [[New Testament]] uses various words translatable as "worship". The word ''proskuneo'' - "to worship" - means to bow down to Gods or kings.<ref>Called to Worship: The Biblical Foundations of Our Response Vernon Whaley - 2009 - In the Greek, the word for worship, proskuneo, means to express deep respect or adoration—by kissing, with words, or by bowing down. Associated words include ''epaineo'', "to commend or applaud"; ''aineo'', "to praise God"; and ''sebomai''.</ref>
 
[[Roman Catholic Church|Roman Catholicism]], [[Anglicanism]], [[Oriental Orthodoxy]], and [[Eastern Orthodoxy]] make a technical distinction between two different concepts:

* ''[[adoration]]'' or ''[[latria]]'' (Latin ''adoratio'', Greek ''latreia'', ''[λατρεία]''), which is due to God alone
* ''[[veneration]]'' or ''dulia'' (Latin ''veneratio'', Greek ''douleia'' ''[δουλεία]''), which may be lawfully offered to the [[saint]]s

The external acts of veneration resemble those of worship, but differ in their object and intent.  Protestant Christians, who reject the veneration of saints, question whether Catholics always maintain such a distinction in actual devotional practice, especially at the level of [[folk religion]].

According to [[Mark Miravalle]] the English word "worship" is equivocal, in that it has been used (in Catholic writing, at any rate) to denote both adoration/''latria'' and veneration/''dulia'', and in some cases even as a synonym for veneration as distinct from adoration:

<blockquote>
As St. Thomas Aquinas explains, adoration, which is known as [[latria]] in classical theology, is the worship and homage that is rightly offered to God alone. It is the manifestation of submission, and acknowledgement of dependence, appropriately shown towards the excellence of an uncreated divine person and to his absolute Lordship. It is the worship of the Creator that God alone deserves. Although we see in English a broader usage of the word "adoration" which may not refer to a form of worship exclusive to God—for example, when a husband says that he "adores his wife"—in general it can be maintained that adoration is the best English denotation for the worship of latria.

Veneration, known as dulia in classical theology, is the honor and reverence appropriately due to the excellence of a created person. Excellence exhibited by created beings likewise deserves recognition and honor. We see a general example of veneration in events like the awarding of academic awards for excellence in school, or the awarding of olympic medals for excellence in sports. There is nothing contrary to the proper adoration of God when we offer the appropriate honor and recognition that created persons deserve based on achievement in excellence.

We must make a further clarification regarding the use of the term "worship" in relation to the categories of adoration and veneration. Historically, schools of theology have used the term "worship" as a general term which included both adoration and veneration. They would distinguish between "worship of adoration" and "worship of veneration." The word "worship" (in a similar way to how the liturgical term "cult" is traditionally used) was not synonymous with adoration, but could be used to introduce either adoration or veneration. Hence Catholic sources will sometimes use the term "worship" not to indicate adoration, but only the worship of veneration given to Mary and the saints.<ref>{{cite web|title= What Is Devotion to Mary?|author-first= Mark|author-last= Miravalle |author-link= Mark Miravalle|publisher= Mother of all peoples
|access-date= November 2, 2013|date= November 24, 2006
|url= http://www.motherofallpeoples.com/2006/11/what-is-devotion-to-mary/|website=www.motherofallpeoples.com}}</ref>
</blockquote>

[[File:Iljan Praasniekka Ilomantsissa 19.–20. heinäkuuta 1996.jpg|thumb|''Ilja Praasniekka'', the [[Elijah Day]] worship on the shore of lake in [[Ilomantsi]], [[Finland]] in July 1996]]
Orthodox [[Judaism]] and orthodox [[Sunni Islam]] hold that for all practical purposes veneration should be considered the same as prayer; Orthodox Judaism (arguably with the exception of some [[chasidism|Chasidic]] practices), orthodox Sunni Islam, and most kinds of [[Protestantism]] forbid veneration of saints or of [[angel]]s, classifying these actions as akin to [[idolatry]].

Similarly, [[Jehovah's Witnesses]] assert that many actions classified as [[Patriotism|patriotic]] by Protestant groups, such as saluting a flag, count as [[Statolatry|equivalent to worship]] and are therefore considered idolatrous as well.<ref>
[https://books.google.com/books?id=vQfCTULnr7EC&dq=false&pg=PA97 Mitchell K. Hall (2009), ''Vietnam War Era : People and Perspectives'', ABC-CLIO, 2009, p. 97.]
</ref>