JORAS - Nigerian Journal of Religion and Society

This paper is entitled, "Body Symbol in Christian and African Worship: Challenges for Celebrants and Participants Today". The work underscores that it is fitting that the participants and the liturgical assembly would use their bodies to worship in accordance with the ancient practice of the Church. The need to integrate the body symbol in Christian worship is very important. This is evident in the various liturgical and sacramental rites being performed in unthinking, mechanical manner and disparity of gestures with the body. To remedy the situation, the study employs the descriptive and analytical approaches of body symbol in worship. The findings shows a high level of ignorance by some celebrants and participants on the teachings of Second Vatican Council for active, conscious and full liturgical participation. To this end, the paper recommends catechesis for a renewed zeal on the African ritual symbolism of the body since it is not alien to them. Both celebrants and participants must conduct themselves becomingly with liturgical decorum by responding, praying and worshipping. For if Christian worship is to have its full effects, those who come to it must have proper dispositions, tuning their minds, bodily movements and voices in prayer form to cooperate with the heavenly grace.

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