Passing the peace : social gesture or sacred act?

Abstract

Interviews were conducted with members from two United Church of Canada churches: one church participated in the liturgical practice of passing the peace regularly every Sunday in their worship while one church did not participate in the liturgical practice of passing the peace at all within their order of worship. The study explores the experience of passing the peace for congregants in both churches: some congregants had been practicing passing the peace for many years while others were experiencing it for the very first time. Comparisons were made and common themes were identified and explored.