church seasons?

[beckyr]

What denominations follow the "church seasons"? I know Catholic and Lutherans do. Just recently, I've been attending a new AG church and it seems they don't. (But I get so blessed worshipping there and so encouraged to grow as a Christian that I keep going there )

Where did the church seasons come from and why were they implemented? Do they have a biblical basis? I can't find it if they do...

THanks!

 

[PaladinValer]

All Apostolic Churches, like Anglicans, Old Catholics, and the Vatican Catholics, all have liturgical seasons. Most Mainline Protestants as well, such as Presbyterians, Methodists, and the Disciples of Christ (Christian Church). Many Evangelical Protestants don't and I've never heard of a Fundamentalist Protestant group that does.

Liturgical seasons were based on how Holy Scripture was read in the churches. The first real recognized season is the one we just started, Lent, which was a 40 day journey with Christ in the desert. It was time of fasting, penitence, and abstinance as well as increased devotion and prayer. A mini season of Holy Week celebrated the last week of Jesus' life, which includes the Holy Triduum, or Holy Tree Days, specifically recounting the events of the Last Supper to His time in hades/sheol. Lent ends on Holy Saturday around 6:00pm with the Great Paschal Vigil, beginning the Easter season.

Other seasons later developed, like Advent, Christmas, and Pentecost Week.

Advent -> Christmas -> Epiphany -> Lent (Holy Week is the last week; Holy Triduum is the last three days) -> Easter (first week is Bright Week) -> Pentecost Week -> Kingdom Tide (or Ordinary Time or Season After Pentecost or Trinity Tide...includes All Hallow's Tide, which is Oct. 31 - Nov. 2) -> Advent, etc.

 

[beckyr]

Thanks for the great & detailed answer!
interesting -- so Lent really had nothing to do w/Easter. I've always heard of Lent (from Lutherans and Catholics) as a time to give up things in preparation for Easter. It makes sense that giving up things is related to Jesus' fast in the desert. And then it must have just morphed into Easter because of the timing?

and, wow, there's a lot fo different kind of churches...

 

[PaladinValer]

Thanks for the great & detailed answer!
interesting -- so Lent really had nothing to do w/Easter.

It does.

Lent is always 40 days before Pascha, the Sunday of the Resurrection, better known as Easter Sunday. It is a preparatory season as well as the penitential one: fasting and abstinence prepares us for the great joys of the Easter Tide. After all, we live this life today in hope of Christ's Second Advent, when we will be resurrected and, hopefully, be found worthy at the Judgement. Lent symbolizes this journey in short. We are "born" on Ash Wednesday: from dust, we are reminded that we will return to it. Our life continues to we reach Good Friday, our death. However, in Christ, we will be saved, which makes Pascha even more important.

Lent was a time for the Catechumens to ready themselves to receive the Sacraments of Holy Baptism and Holy Chrismation during the Great Paschal Vigil, thereby allowing them to receive finally Holy Communion as well at the same liturgy. It was also a time for those, who were excommunicated or apostatized for their sins or departure from the faith, who are reconciling with Christ and His Church, to return to the faith in good standing and be able to once again be members of the Mystical Body of Christ and receive the holy sacraments.

I've always heard of Lent (from Lutherans and Catholics) as a time to give up things in preparation for Easter. It makes sense that giving up things is related to Jesus' fast in the desert. And then it must have just morphed into Easter because of the timing?

It is. However, there is more to it than that. All of these things are just as much part of Lent as the others.

and, wow, there's a lot fo different kind of churches...

Lent is pretty much the same for all who have it.