Are dulia, hyperdulia, and latria just different levels of worship, and can we honor Mary as Israel honored David?
Robert Sungenis answers no: they are not levels of one thing, because latria is the worship given to God alone while hyperdulia is honour and never worship. He points to 1 Chronicles 29:20, where the assembly worshipped the Lord and bowed to David in honour of his authority, as the analogy for the honour given to Mary, who is owed more than the saints and angels as Mother of God but is not divine.
A viewer asks whether dulia, hyperdulia and latria are just different levels of worship, and whether we may honor Mary the way the Israelites honored King David in 1 Chronicles 29:20.
Answer
No. In 1 Chronicles 29:20 the assembly worshiped the Lord and did obeisance to the king; they worshiped God, but they bowed to David in honor of his authority, not in worship. That is actually a good analogy for the hyperdulia given to Mary. Latria is the worship given to God alone. Hyperdulia is the greater honor given to Mary, because unlike the other saints and even the angels, she is the Mother of God, so she deserves a greater honor for that role. But it is never worship, because Mary is not divine. It is very simple.