Leitourgia

Definition and Meaning

Leitourgia is a Greek compound formed from a word meaning "people" or "the public" and ergon, meaning "work." It originally signified "public work undertaken for the community." In the church it refers to the public worship offered to God and to its forms, that is, liturgy (worship conducted according to a set order and prescribed rites). When practical theology divides the basic activities of the church into kerygma (proclamation), didache (teaching), koinonia (fellowship), and diakonia (service), leitourgia is the category corresponding to "worship."

Biblical and Historical Background

In ancient Athens, leitourgia referred to the practice by which wealthy citizens undertook public projects at their own expense, such as funding festivals or maintaining warships. The Septuagint, the Greek translation of the Old Testament, used the word for the temple service of the priests and Levites.

In the New Testament the word is used for the priest Zacharias's ministry in the temple (Luke 1:23), Christ's high priestly ministry (Hebrews 8:6), the service of believers' faith (Philippians 2:17), and the offering collected for the saints in Jerusalem (2 Corinthians 9:12). In Scripture, then, the term encompasses not only worship as ritual but also service rendered to help one's neighbor.

From the time of the early church onward, the word came to denote worship centered on the Eucharist. The Eastern Orthodox Church calls its eucharistic service the "Divine Liturgy," and the Catholic Church in Korea renders the same concept as jeollye (典禮, "liturgy").

Practice in the Korean Church

In Korean Protestantism, leitourgia is not an everyday term; it is used chiefly in seminary courses and pastoral textbooks to explain the functions of the church. In congregational practice, the terms "worship," "liturgy," and "rite" are more common.

Denominations differ in their approach to liturgy.

• The Anglican Church of Korea and the Lutheran Church in Korea conduct liturgical worship according to a book of common prayer or service book, placing the church year and Holy Communion at the center of worship.
• Presbyterian and Methodist churches have service books published by their denominations, but individual congregations determine their order of worship with relative freedom. Some churches are reported to structure their worship according to the church year and the lectionary (a schedule of Scripture readings arranged according to the church year).
• Baptist and Full Gospel churches often emphasize a free form of worship centered on preaching, praise, and prayer rather than a fixed liturgy. Baptists explain this in terms of the autonomy of each local church, while Full Gospel churches describe it as worship guided by the leading of the Holy Spirit.

The degree of emphasis placed on liturgical form thus varies from denomination to denomination. Nevertheless, many denominations share the view that worship is a core activity of the church.