Antonio Mcgowan
Incense is used in many religious ceremonies and rites, including those of the Roman Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox Church, Lutheran churches, Old Catholic/Liberal Catholic churches, and some Anglican churches. In the past, there have been concerns that the use of incense in church services would be outlawed by the UK's psychoactive substances bill, which was being introduced to ban the trade of legal highs. However, the Home Office reassured Church of England and Catholic leaders that the bill would not see Christians facing criminal charges for burning incense during religious ceremonies. While incense is not a drug in the traditional sense, it does contain incensole acetate, a mild drug that can reduce anxiety.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Incense as a drug | Incense contains incensole acetate, a mild drug that is 10 times less potent than Valium in reducing anxiety. |
| Incense in religious rituals | Used in Christian worship, Jewish offering, Buddhist ceremonies, Chinese Taoist, Japanese Shinto, and Hindu worship. |
| Incense in Christianity | Used in Roman Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, Lutheran, Anglican, and Old Catholic/Liberal Catholic churches. |
| Incense formula and scent | Common types include frankincense, myrrh, benzoin, copal, and styrax, with regional differences leading to diverse blends. |
| Incense use | Burned during services, placed in Paschal candles, used in purification rituals, and to symbolise prayer. |
| Incense and legal status | In 2015, the UK Psychoactive Substances Bill raised concerns about the use of incense in church services, but it was clarified that it would not be included in the ban. |
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What You'll Learn
- Incense is a mild drug, incensole acetate, that reduces anxiety
- Incense is used in many religions, including Christianity, Judaism, Hinduism, Buddhism, and Taoism
- Incense is used to symbolise prayer and sanctification in the Catholic Church
- Incense is burned during religious rituals to purify the surroundings
- Incense was almost outlawed in the UK by the 2015 psychoactive substances bill
Incense is a mild drug, incensole acetate, that reduces anxiety
Incense has been used in religious and cultural ceremonies for millennia. In Christian worship, it is used to purify the coffin at funerals and to bless statues and images. In Hinduism, it is offered to God as part of daily ritual worship. In East Asian Buddhist ceremonies, incense is used to purify the surroundings, bringing forth an assembly of buddhas, bodhisattvas, gods, and demons.
The use of incense in Christian worship is inspired by passages in the Bible. In the Old Testament, the Jewish people offered incense as a sacrifice to false gods. In the New Testament, the apostle John saw that the offering of incense was a symbol of prayer. The smoke of burning incense is interpreted by both the Western Catholic and Eastern Christian churches as a symbol of the prayer of the faithful rising to heaven.
Incense contains incensole and incensole acetate, which have been shown to have anti-inflammatory and anti-depression activities. Incensole acetate is a mild drug that reduces anxiety. It is chemically proven to be 10 times less potent than Valium in its reduction of anxiety. During religious ceremonies, the officiants burning the incense are probably the only ones who feel its effects. Incensole acetate may lead to new treatments for anxiety and depression if more potent forms can be synthesized and if it successfully lifts moods in human trials.
Incensole acetate is a macrocyclic diterpenoid and a biomarker of Boswellia species. It is a novel anti-inflammatory compound isolated from Boswellia resin. It is known to inhibit nuclear factor-kappaB activation. The activation of TRPV3 channels in the brain by incensole acetate elicits psychoactivity.
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Incense is used in many religions, including Christianity, Judaism, Hinduism, Buddhism, and Taoism
In Christianity, the burning of incense is mentioned in the Bible. In Exodus 30:34, God gives instructions for constructing an altar of incense, which was set in the Holy Place in front of the veil before the Holy of Holies. Priests burned incense on the altar daily, with the exact composition described as having a balsamic fragrance. Incense is still used by priests within the Eastern Orthodox Church, as well as in Roman Catholic and Lutheran traditions.
In Judaism, the use of incense is mentioned in the Torah and has a long history. However, opinions vary on whether burning incense is considered a Jewish practice. Some Jews light incense before lighting Shabbos candles, as it beautifies the experience, while others view it as a non-Jewish practice that should be avoided.
Hinduism and Buddhism, both founded in India, have incorporated the use of incense in their religious practices. In Hinduism, the Dharmaśāstra describes incense ingredients, which often include sandalwood, aloeswood, camphor, musk, saffron, and resins. Buddhism adopted the use of incense, with the position of the incense stick holding symbolic meaning. When the incense is standing upright, the falling ashes signify a scattered mind. When laid down, the ashes do not scatter, purifying the area in front of the altar.
In Taoism, burning incense is a sacred practice that serves as a bridge between the physical and spiritual realms. Taoists burn incense at their altar daily, offering energy to the preheaven, which is believed to reciprocate over time. The manner of holding the incense and the number of sticks burned are also symbolic, varying depending on the intention and desired output of power.
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Incense is used to symbolise prayer and sanctification in the Catholic Church
Incense is used in many religious ceremonies, including in the Catholic Church. The use of incense in Christianity is inspired by passages in the Bible, and its use in prayer and worship carries Christian symbolism.
The smoke of burning incense is interpreted by both the Western Catholic and Eastern Christian churches as a symbol of the prayers of the faithful rising to heaven. This symbolism is seen in Psalm 141 (140), verse 2: "Let my prayer be directed as incense in thy sight: the lifting up of my hands, as the evening sacrifice." The apostle John also saw that the offering of incense was a beautiful symbol of prayer. The smoke of the incense, together with the prayers of God’s people, rose up to God.
Incense is also used as part of a purification ritual. In the Revelation of John, incense symbolises the prayers of the saints in heaven – the "golden bowl full of incense" are "the prayers of the saints" (Revelation 5:8, cf. Revelation 8:3) which infuse upwards towards the altar of God. Incense is burned atop new altars as they are undergoing the process of consecration prior to their first use. It is also used to purify the coffin at funerals and to bless statues and images.
The use of incense in Christian worship was abandoned for a period of time to avoid confusion among the faithful and to present a clear witness: incense offerings were associated with paganism. However, its use made a comeback in the fifth century once Christianity was firmly established.
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Incense is burned during religious rituals to purify the surroundings
The use of incense in Christianity is inspired by passages in the Bible. Incense is employed in worship by Christians since antiquity, particularly in the Roman Catholic Church, Eastern Catholic Church, Orthodox Christian churches, Lutheran Churches, Old Catholic/Liberal Catholic Churches, and some Anglican Churches. Incense is burned during the celebration of the Eucharist, at funerals, and at other services.
In East Asian Buddhist ceremonies and Chinese Taoist and Japanese Shinto shrines, incense is burned to purify the surroundings and invite the presence of deities. In Hindu tradition, incense is offered to God as part of daily ritual worship.
The use of incense in religious rituals was also observed in ancient Egypt, where it was used to counteract unpleasant odours and drive away demons. Incense was also used in ancient Greece and Rome for protection against demons and in cremation rituals.
The act of burning incense is a common practice in spiritual ceremonies or rituals. It is believed to add a calm energy to the space and create a positive atmosphere. The scientific reason behind the attraction to incense may be due to its ability to activate ion channels in the brain, reducing anxiety and elevating mood.
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Incense was almost outlawed in the UK by the 2015 psychoactive substances bill
Incense has been used in religious ceremonies for centuries. In Christianity, its use in prayer and worship is inspired by passages in the Bible, and it is burned to symbolise the prayers of the faithful rising to heaven. The practice has its roots in Judaism during the time of the Second Jewish Temple.
In 2015, the UK government introduced the Psychoactive Substances Bill, which aimed to close the loopholes that permitted "legal highs". The bill was designed to outlaw the trade in new chemical "designer" drugs that were being synthesised to mimic the effects of traditional illicit substances. However, due to the broad definition of "psychoactive substances" in the bill, there were concerns that it could unintentionally outlaw the use of incense in churches.
The bill defined "psychoactive substances" as "any substance intended for human consumption that is capable of producing a psychoactive effect". This definition was so broad that it potentially included incense, as well as common substances such as alcohol, cigarettes, coffee, and even flowers. Leading voices in the Church of England and the Catholic Church raised concerns that the use of incense in church services would become criminalised under the new law.
During the debate on the bill in the House of Lords, Lord Howarth of Newport (Labour) highlighted the potential unintended consequences of the loose and generalised term "psychoactive substances". He stated that priests using incense could be criminalised under the new law and that the government should be careful not to unintentionally criminalise religious practices. The Local Government Association (LGA) also commented that if the definition of psychoactive substances in the bill included unintended materials like incense, then exemptions should be added to the list in Schedule 1 of the bill.
In response to these concerns, the Home Office minister Mike Penning wrote to Frank Cranmer of the Churches' Legislation Advisory Service (CLAS) and to English cathedrals, assuring them that the use of incense in religious services would not be covered by the bill. He clarified that the offences in the bill only applied when a substance was likely to be consumed for its psychoactive effect, which was not the case for incense used in religious ceremonies.
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Frequently asked questions
Church incense is not a drug, but it does have mild psychoactive properties. Incensole acetate, a chemical compound found in incense, has been proven to be 10 times less potent than Valium in reducing anxiety.
The use of incense in churches is steeped in centuries-old traditions. It is often used to symbolise prayer and the sanctification of ceremonies. Incense is also used to purify the surroundings and drive away evil spirits.
The scent of church incense varies depending on the type of incense used. The most common types used in churches are frankincense and myrrh, which lend a woody, earthy, and slightly sweet, smoky, and spicy aroma.
