REVERENCE, Bijo Karikkarappally

Reverence is the acknowledgement of the legitimacy of the power of one's superior or superiors. It is a feeling or attitude of deep respect tinged with awe; veneration.

The outward manifestation of this feeling: to pay reverence.

To regard or treat with reverence; venerate: One should reverence god and His laws.

Reverence is defined by Dictionary.com as, "A feeling or attitude of deep respect tinged with awe; veneration." The word comes from the late 13th century Old French term reverence which derives from the Latin "reverential 'awe, respect,' from reverser 'to revere,' from re- , intensive prefix, + vereri 'stand in awe of, fear,' from PIE *wer- 'to be or become aware of'. Reverence involves both the cognitive and affective responses necessary in the formation of an emotion. The word reverence in the modern day is often used in relationship with religion. This is because religion often stimulates the emotion through recognition of God, the supernatural, and the ineffable. Reverence involves a humbling of the self in respectful recognition of something perceived to be greater than the self. Thus religion is commonly a place where reverence is felt.

However, similar to awe, reverence is an emotion in its own right, and can be felt outside of the realm of religion. Whereas awe may be characterized as an overwhelming "sensitivity to greatness," reverence is seen more as "acknowledging a subjective response to something excellent in a personal (moral or spiritual) way, but qualitatively above oneself" Solomon describes awe as passive, but reverence as active, noting that the feeling of awe (i.e., becoming awestruck) implies paralysis, whereas feelings of reverence are associated more with active engagement and responsibility toward that which one reveres. Nature, science, literature, philosophy, great philosophers, leaders, artists, art, music, wisdom, and beauty may each act as the stimulus and focus of reverence. In the Old Testament, "reverence" occurs as the translation of two Hebrew words: Yare' which carries the meaning of "fear." This word is used to express the attitude toward God Himself. "God is greatly to be feared in the assembly of the saints, and to be had in reverences of all them that are about him (Psalm 89:7). In the New Testament "reverence" occurs as the translation of three Greek words, Deos, phobeo, and entrepo. Deos which has the meaning of awe and Godly fear, is a feeling of profound awe and respect.