Is latreia versus proskynesis a word trick?
The defense depends on a real distinction between honor and divine worship, not on assigning a magic meaning to one Greek word.
Key points
- Biblical words for worship overlap. Later Greek terminology cannot make a forbidden act acceptable.
- Proskynesis can describe different kinds of reverence in different contexts; it is not always harmless merely because it is called proskynesis.
- Nicaea II explicitly contrasts honorable reverence with the divine worship belonging to God's nature.
- The practical question is whether the Church treats the image or saint as God. Vocabulary explains the intended distinction but does not replace examining the practice.
- If a particular prayer or custom appears to cross that boundary, inspect it directly. Do not answer a concrete concern with a dictionary alone.