Feet washing is a religious rite observed as an ordinance by several Christian denominations. The name, and even the spelling, of this practice is not consistently established, being variously known as feet washing, foot washing, feetwashing, footwashing, washing the saints' feet, washing of feet, pedilavium, and mandatum. A rite is an established, ceremonious, usually religious act. ... A Christian is a follower of Jesus Christ. ... List of Christian denominations (or Denominations self-identified as Christian) ordered by historical and doctrinal relationships. ...

The foot-washing was an example, a pattern. Many groups throughout church history have practiced literal foot-washing as a church ordinance. However, present culture in many lands does not call for the need to wash dust from the feet of one's guests. Whereas the Lord's Supper was practiced by the early church, it apparently did not practice foot-washing as an ordinance in church gatherings. This passage, in John chapter 13, emphasizes inner humility, not a physical rite.

Background

The root of this practice appears to be found in the hospitality customs of ancient civilizations, especially where sandals were the chief footwear. A host would provide water for guests to wash their feet, serve the guests by washing their feet, or even provide a servant to wash the feet of the guests. This is mentioned in several places in the Old Testament of the Bible (e.g. Genesis 18:4; 19:2; 24:32; 43:24; I Samuel 25:41; et al.), as well as other religious and historical documents. A typical Eastern host might bow, greet, and kiss his guest, then offer water to wash his feet. Though the wearing of sandals might necessitate washing the feet, the water was also offered as a courtesy even when shoes were worn. Note: Judaism commonly uses the term Tanakh, but not Old Testament, because it does not recognize the concept of a New Testament. ... The Gutenberg Bible owned by the United States Library of Congress (Hebrew: תנ״ך tanakh, Greek: η Βίβλος hē biblos) (sometimes The Holy Bible, The Book, Work of God, The Word, The Good Book or Scripture), from Greek (τα) βίβλια, (ta) biblia, (the) books, is the name used by Jews and Christians for their differing (and... Genesis (Greek: Γένεσις, having the meanings of birth, creation, cause, beginning, source and origin), also called The First Book of Moses, is the first book of Torah (five books of Moses), and is the first book of the Tanakh, part of the Hebrew Bible; it is also the first book of...

Biblical reference

Christian denominations that observe feet washing do so on the basis of what they believe is the authoritative example and command of Jesus as found in the Gospel of John 13:1-15: Jesus (8-2 BC/BCE– 29-36 AD/CE),[1] also known as Jesus of Nazareth, is the central figure of Christianity. ... The Gospel according to John is a gospel document in the canon of the New Testament. ...

Now before the feast of the passover, when Jesus knew that his hour was come that he should depart out of this world unto the Father, having loved his own which were in the world, he loved them unto the end. And supper being ended, the devil having now put into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, to betray him; Jesus knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he was come from God, and went to God; He riseth from supper, and laid aside his garments; and took a towel, and girded himself. After that he poureth water into a bason, and began to wash the disciples' feet, and to wipe them with the towel wherewith he was girded. Then cometh he to Simon Peter: and Peter saith unto him, Lord, dost thou wash my feet? Jesus answered and said unto him, What I do thou knowest not now; but thou shalt know hereafter. Peter saith unto him, Thou shalt never wash my feet. Jesus answered him, If I wash thee not, thou hast no part with me. Simon Peter saith unto him, Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head. Jesus saith to him, He that is washed needeth not save to wash his feet, but is clean every whit: and ye are clean, but not all. For he knew who should betray him; therefore said he, Ye are not all clean. So after he had washed their feet, and had taken his garments, and was set down again, he said unto them, Know ye what I have done to you? Ye call me Master and Lord: and ye say well; for so I am. If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another's feet. For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you. Verily, verily, I say unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord; neither he that is sent greater than he that sent him. If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them.

Washing the saints' feet is also mentioned in I Timothy 5:10.

History

The rite of feet washing appears to have been practiced in the early centuries of Christianity, though the evidence is scant. For example, Tertullian (145-220) mentions the practice in his De Corona, but gives no details as to who practiced it or how it was practiced. It was practiced by the church at Milan (ca. A.D. 380), is mentioned by the Council of Elvira (A.D. 300), and is even referenced by Augustine (ca. A.D. 400). Observance of feet washing at the time of baptism was maintained in Africa, Gaul, Germany, Milan, northern Italy, and Ireland. According to the Mennonite Encyclopedia, "St. Benedict's Rule (A.D. 529) for the Benedictine Order prescribed hospitality feetwashing in addition to a communal feetwashing for humility." It apparently was established in the Roman church, though not in connection with baptism, by the 8th century. The Albigenses observed feetwashing in connection with communion, and the Waldenses' custom was to wash the feet of visiting ministers. There is some evidence that it was observed by the early Hussites. The practice was a meaningful part of the 16th century radical reformation. Feet washing was often "rediscovered" or "restored" in revivals of religion in which the participants tried to recreate the faith and practice of the apostolic era. Christianity is a monotheistic[1] religion centered on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recounted in the New Testament. ... Aurelius Augustinus, Augustine of Hippo, or Saint Augustine (November 13, 354–August 28, 430) was one of the most important figures in the development of Western Christianity. ... Africa is the worlds second-largest and second-most populous continent, after Asia. ... Map of Gaul circa 58 BC Gaul (Latin Gallia, Greek Galatia) was the region of Western Europe occupied by present day northern Italy, France, Belgium, western Switzerland and the parts of the Netherlands and Germany on the west bank of the Rhine river. ... Milan (Italian: Milano; Milanese: Milán) is the main city of northern Italy, and is located in the plains of Lombardy, the most populated and developed region in Italy. ... Albigenses were a group named for Albi, a city in southern France. ... The Waldensians are a Christian denomination believing in poverty and austerity, founded around 1173, promoting true poverty, public preaching and the literal interpretation of the scriptures. ... The Hussites comprised an early Protestant Christian movement, followers of Jan Hus. ...

Protestant practice

Feet washing is observed by numerous Protestant and proto-Protestant groups, including Pentecostal and Pietistic groups, some Anabaptists, and some Baptists. Though history shows that feet washing has at times been practiced in connection with baptism, and at times as a separate occasion, by far its most common practice has been in connection with the Lord's supper service. Protestantism is a general grouping of denominations within Christianity. ... The Pentecostal movement within Protestant Christianity places special emphasis on the gifts of the Holy Spirit. ... Pietism was a movement within Lutheranism, lasting from the late-17th century to the mid-18th century. ... Anabaptists (Greek ana+baptizo re-baptizers, German: Wiedertäufer) were Christians of the Radical Reformation. ... A Baptist is a member of a Baptist church. ... The Lords Supper is a variation of the name and the service of The Last Supper or Eucharist. ...

The observance of washing the saints' feet is quite varied, but a typical service follows the partaking of unleavened bread and wine. Deacons (in many cases) place pans of water in front of pews that have been arranged for the service. The men and women participate in separate groups, men washing men's feet and women washing women's feet. Each member of the congregation takes a turn washing the feet of another member. Each foot is placed one at a time into the basin of water, is washed by cupping the hand and pouring water over the foot, and is dried with a long towel girded around the waist of the member performing the washing. Most of these services appear to be quite moving to the participants.

Among groups that do not observe feet washing as an ordinance or rite, the example of Jesus is usually held to be symbolic and didactic. Among these groups, feet washing is nevertheless sometimes literally practiced. First, some reserve it to be a practice of hospitality or a work of necessity. Secondly, some present it as a dramatic lesson acted out in front of the congregation.

A few Baptists (and perhaps others) that literally observe the washing of feet scruple to call it a third ordinance and rather refer to it only as an example.

Latter-day Saints perform washing of the feet as an ordinance in their temples, although it is used only rarely. A Latter-day Saint is a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church). ... The Salt Lake Temple is the most well-known Mormon Temple. ...

Catholic practice

In Roman Catholic ritual, the washing of feet is usually referred to as pedilavium, or sometimes mandatum. "In the latter half of the 12th century the pope washed the feet of twelve subdeacons after his Mass and of thirteen poor men after his dinner. The Cæremoniale Episcoporum directs that the bishop is to wash the feet either of thirteen poor men or of thirteen of his canons." (Catholic Encyclopedia). The pedilavium, or washing of the feet, is a regular part of the Maundy Thursday (the Thursday before Easter) liturgy. The Roman Catholic Church, most often spoken of simply as the Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with over one billion members. ... The Pope (from Greek: pappas, father; from Latin: papa, Papa, father) is the head of the Roman Catholic Church. ... Subdeacon is a title used in various branches of Christianity. ... Mass is a property of a physical object that quantifies the amount of matter and energy it contains. ... The Cæremoniale Episcoporum, or Ceremonial of Bishops, is a Roman Catholic book that lists the ceremonies and rites for Bishops that are to be performed at church functions such as Mass and Vespers. ... A bishop is an ordained member of the Christian clergy who, in certain Christian churches, holds a position of authority. ... A canon (from the Latin canonicus and Greek κανωνικωσ relating to a rule) is a priest who is a member of certain bodies of the Christian clergy subject to a rule (canon). ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... This article is about the Christian festival. ...

In the Missal of Pope Pius V (1570) the washing of feet was placed at the end of the Holy Thursday Mass. It was moved to after the homily in the Holy Week revisions of 1955. The current sacramentary puts the washing of feet after the gospel telling how Jesus washed the feet of the twelve apostles (John 13:1-15) and the homily. The rubric in the sacramentary states that twelve men are led to chairs prepared in a suitable place. Then the priest goes to each and with the help of the ministers pours water over each one's feet and dries them. Missal, in the Roman Catholic Church, is a liturgical book containing all instructions and texts necessary for the celebration of Masses throughout the year. ... Saint Pius V, né Antonio Ghislieri, from 1518 called Michele Ghislieri (January 17, 1504 – May 1, 1572) was pope from 1566 to 1572 and is a saint of the Catholic Church. ... Sacramentary was a musical service book, containing the prayers that were recited by the celebrant during the mass. ... For other uses, see Gospel (disambiguation). ... Jesus (8-2 BC/BCE– 29-36 AD/CE),[1] also known as Jesus of Nazareth, is the central figure of Christianity. ... The Twelve Apostles (in Koine Greek απόστολος apostolos [1], someone sent forth/sent out, an emissary) were probably Galilean Jewish men (10 names are Aramaic, 4 names are Greek) chosen from among the disciples, who were sent forth by Jesus of Nazareth to preach the Gospel to both Jews and Gentiles... In the Roman Catholic Church A homily is usually given during mass at the end of the Liturgy of the Word. ... Rubric can refer to: In typography, rubric refers to a section of red text In academia, rubric is a grading scheme In liturgy, rubric refers to instructions indicating actions to be performed rather than words to be said A rubric is also an authoritative rule, an explanatory or introductory commentary... Roman Catholic priests in traditional clerical clothing. ...

Other Christian Groups

Similar foot-washing rites are observed in some Anglican, Lutheran and Methodist churches. The foot washing service is practiced regularly by members of the Seventh-day_Adventist_Church and by Primitive Baptists. The term Anglican describes those people and churches following the religious traditions of the Church of England, especially following the Reformation. ... The Lutheran movement is a group of denominations of Protestant Christianity by the original definition. ... The Methodist movement is a group of denominations of Protestant Christianity. ... The Seventh-day Adventist Church is a Christian denomination which, as its name suggests, is most well known for its teaching that Saturday, the seventh day of the week, is the Sabbath. ... Primitive Baptists are a group of Baptists that have an historical connection to the missionary/anti-missionary controversy that divided Baptists of America in the early part of the 19th century. ...

External links

• Anabaptists and Footwashing - a series of articles on history and current practice among Mennonites, Grace Brethren and Church of the Brethren.
• Catholic Encyclopedia - Washing of Feet and Hands
• Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online - Feetwashing
• Footwashing as an act of building community - a Brethren viewpoint
• How to conduct a foot-washing service - a liturgical viewpoint
• Mennonite Confession of Faith - Article 13 - Foot Washing
• Washing of the Feet : Hidden Significance of the Gnostic story in the Fourth Gospel
• The Ordinance of Feet Washing - a Churches of God General Conference (Winebrenner) viewpoint

• see also entries such as "Maundy Thursday" in the Catholic Encyclopedia

The Mennonites are a group of Christian Anabaptist (Re-baptizers) denominations named after and influenced by the teachings and tradition of Menno Simons (1496-1561). ... The Fellowship of Grace Brethren Churches is a theologically conservative fellowship of Brethren churches descended from the Schwarzenau Brethren movement of Alexander Mack of Germany. ... The Church of the Brethren was organized by Alexander Mack, a miller, in Schwarzenau, Germany, in 1708. ... The Brethren are any of several Christian denominations, most of which are Anabaptist-Pietist. ... From the Greek word λειτουργια, which can be transliterated as leitourgia, meaning the work of the people, a liturgy comprises a prescribed religious ceremony, according to the traditions of a particular religion; it may be refer to, or include, an elaborate formal ritual (such as the Catholic Mass), a daily... Churches of God, General Conference (Winebrenner) - a baptistic Christian organization that originated in the revivalism and evangelistic efforts of Reverend John Winebrenner. ...

References

• Historical and Informational
  • Appalachian Mountain Religion: a History, by Deborah Vansau MacCauley
  • Catholic Encyclopedia, Charles G. Herbermann, Edward A. Pace, Condé B. Pallen, Thomas J. Shahan, and John J. Wynne, editors
  • Eerdman's Handbook to the History of Christianity, Tim Dowley, et al., editors
  • Encyclopedia of Religion in the South, Samuel S. Hill, editor
  • Foxfire 7, Paul F. Gillespie, editor
  • Manners and Customs of Bible Lands, by Fred H. Wight
  • Mennonite Encyclopedia (Vol. 2), Cornelius J. Dyck, Dennis D. Martin, et al., editors
• Historical and Theological (con)
  • Footwashing by the Master and by the Saints, by Elam J. Daniels
  • Manual of Church Order (ch. 6), by J. L. Dagg
• Historical and Theological (pro)
  • The Washing of the Saints' Feet, by J. Matthew Pinson (Randall House, 2006)
  • A Free Will Baptist Handbook: Heritage, Beliefs, and Ministries, by J. Matthew Pinson
  • Baptist Doctrine: the Doctrine of Foot Washing, by R. L. Vaughn
  • Footwashing in John 13 and the Johannine Community, by John Christopher Thomas
  • Washing the Saints' Feet shown to be an Ordinance of Christ, by Joseph Sorsby