An Episcopal Dictionary of the Church

Doxology

Words of glory (from the Greek doxa logos) or praise to God, usually in a trinitarian form. Christian tradition contains three main forms of doxology: 1) the Greater Doxology, the hymn “Glory to God in the highest,” originally sung at Morning Prayer in the eastern church and now, in the west, used in the entrance rite of the Eucharist on many Sundays and other festal occasions; 2) the Lesser Doxology, the verse beginning “Glory to the Father,” sung at the opening and at the end of psalms and canticles in the Daily Office; and 3) metrical doxologies, such as the familiar verse beginning “Praise God from whom all blessings flow,” sometimes used at the presentation of offerings.

Glossary definitions provided courtesy of Church Publishing Incorporated, New York, NY,(All Rights reserved) from “An Episcopal Dictionary of the Church, A User Friendly Reference for Episcopalians,” Don S. Armentrout and Robert Boak Slocum, editors.