Wikipedia's first sentence called it “due to god alone”. Today it says “act of religious devotion usually directed towards a deity or god”.
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The opening as it read in 2005
Worship usually refers to specific acts of religious praise, honour, or devotion , typically directed to a supernatural being such as a god or goddess . It is the informal term in English for what sociologists of religion call cultus , the body of practices and traditions that correspond to theology . Religious worship may be performed individually, in informally organized groups, or as part of an organized service with a designated leader (as in a church , synagogue , temple , or mosque ). In its older sense in the English language of worthiness or respect , worship may sometimes refer to actions directed at members of higher social classes (such as lords or monarchs ) or to particularly esteemed persons (such as a lover ). Typical acts of worship include: prayer ; sacrifice ( korban in Hebrew); rituals ; meditation ; holidays , festivals ; pilgrimages ; hymns or psalms ; the construction of temples or shrines ; the creation of idols of the deity. Catholicism and Eastern Orthodoxy distinguish between worship (Latin adoratio , Greek latreia , [λατρεια] ) which is due to God alone (see latria ), and veneration (Latin veneratio , Greek dulia [δουλεια] ), which may be lawfully offered to the saints . The external acts of veneration resemble those of worship, but differ in their object and intent. Protestant Christians question whether such a distinction is always maintained in actual devotional practice, especially at the level of folk religion . 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 Chasdic practices), orthodox Sunni Islam, and most kinds of Protestantism forbid veneration of saints or angels , classifying these actions as akin to idolatry .1
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The opening as it stood in 2010 9 passages from the previous snapshot no longer appear
This article refers to the religious act.Detail from Religion by Charles Sprague Pearce (1896) Worship is an act of religious devotion usually directed to one or more deities .The word is derived from the Old English worthscipe , meaning worthiness or worth-ship — to give, at its simplest, worth to something.Evelyn Underhill defines worship thus: "The adoring acknowledgment of all that lies beyond us—the glory that fills heaven and earth.It is the response that conscious beings make to their Creator, to the Eternal Reality from which they came forth; to God, however they may think of Him or recognize Him, and whether He be realized through religion, through nature, through history, through science, art, or human life and character." An act of worship may be performed individually, in an informal or formal group, or by a designated leader.In a broader social sense, worship may on occasion refer to an attitude towards someone of greatly elevated social status, such as a lord or monarch , or, more colloquially, towards a hero or lover .Religious worship happens in a wide variety of locations: in purpose-built places of worship , at home or in the open.Many religious traditions place an emphasis upon regular worship at frequent intervals, often daily or weekly.Expressions of worship vary but typically include one or more of the following: Prayer , meditation , ritual , scripture , sacraments , sacrifice , sermons , chanting , music or devotional song , dance , religious holidays , festivals , pilgrimage , dining, fasting , temples or shrines , idols , or simply private individual acts of devotion.
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Detail from Religion by Charles Sprague Pearce (1896) Worship is an act of religious devotion usually directed towards a deity . An act of worship may be performed individually, in an informal or formal group, or by a designated leader. Worship asserts the reality of its object and defines its meaning by reference to it."Beyond Theology: Toward an Anthropology of "Fundamentalism" ".
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Detail from Religion by Charles Sprague Pearce (1896) Experiences Practices Belief Esotericism Faith Fideism Gnosis Hermeticism Metaphysics Mysticism Prayer Revelation Worship Related topics Euthyphro dilemma God complex God gene Theology Ontology Problem of evil ( theodicy ) Religion philosophy texts Portrayals of God in popular media Religion portal v t e Worship is an act of religious devotion usually directed towards a deity . An act of worship may be performed individually, in an informal or formal group, or by a designated leader . In Forrester, Duncan B. ; Gay, Doug (eds.).The English term 'worship' itself derives from an Anglo-Saxon word for 'honour' ( weorthscipe ) suggesting again that worship is an action honouring one who is worthy.
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The opening as it stood on October 6, 2023
Act of religious devotion For other uses, see Worship (disambiguation) .Detail from Religion by Charles Sprague Pearce (1896) Look up worship in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. Experiences Practices Belief Esotericism Faith Fideism Gnosis Hermeticism Metaphysics Mysticism Prayer Revelation Worship Related topics Euthyphro dilemma God complex God gene Theology Ontology Problem of evil ( theodicy ) Religion philosophy texts Portrayals of God in popular media Religion portal v t e Worship is showing regard with great respect, honor, or devotion. This may be encountered in religious settings.In such instances it may represent divine worship ; reverence for a divine being or supernatural power.This activity may have other focuses, such as hero worship .Worship may involve one or more of activities such as veneration , adoration , praise , supplication , devotion, prostration , or submission .An act of worship can be performed as simple prayer or through elaborate ceremony , individually, in an informal or formal group, or by a designated leader . In Forrester, Duncan B. ; Gay, Doug (eds.). The English term 'worship' itself derives from an Anglo-Saxon word for 'honour' ( weorthscipe ) suggesting again that worship is an action honouring one who is worthy.
Red text was written in or rewritten since the previous snapshot. Their copy is revision 1175558239.
The opening as it stood in 2025 6 passages from the previous snapshot no longer appear
Act of religious devotion For other uses, see Worship (disambiguation) . Worship is an act of religious devotion usually directed towards a deity or God .An act of worship may be performed individually, in an informal or formal group, or by a designated leader . In Forrester, Duncan B. ; Gay, Doug (eds.). The English term 'worship' itself derives from an Anglo-Saxon word for 'honour' ( weorthscipe ) suggesting again that worship is an action honouring one who is worthy.
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Today
Wikipedia's first sentence called it “due to god alone”. Today it says “act of religious devotion usually directed towards a deity or god”. Read the current article and compare.
2005
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2015
2020
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2025
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What Wikipedia says this is
Every article opens by defining its subject. This one was redefined since 2005, and today's defining sentence is their current revision.
Then
due to god alone
Now
act of religious devotion usually directed towards a deity or god
Struck red text is no longer in the article; dotted amber text was rewritten. Every revision id links to Wikipedia's copy; the text shown is our own saved copy. Data: /data. Wikipedia text is CC BY-SA; quoted for the record; not affiliated with Wikipedia.
