Liturgical Theology Research Articles

“I Do Believe the Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments to Be the Word of God”: Holy Scripture, John Webster, and the Prayer Book Tradition

This essay explores the theology of Holy Scripture in the current and historic liturgies of the Episcopal Church and argues that the tradition of our prayer books is largely in line with John Webster’s proposed “dogmatic ontology of Holy Scripture.” The Episcopal Church’s liturgies describe and use Scripture in a way which suggests a theological account of Scripture’s nature and purpose, as well as the proper attitude of Christians in their encounters with Scripture. Such a liturgical theology suggests that Holy Scripture exists in the divine economy as the means for God’s saving self-revelation, through which God exercises soteriological authority and confronts the church ab extra, and toward which Christians should adopt a trusting attitude of teachableness.

A Gladdening Vision of a Dancing Christ: Findings of a Ritual Ethnography of Intercultural Icons

The cultural renaissance in 20th-century India has fostered an aesthetic integration of contemplative mysticism with popular religious practices, influencing various artistic and theological movements. This paper examines Christian artist Joy Elamkunnapuzha’s use of Indian classical and mythical elements in his religious artworks, particularly in two North Indian churches. These intercultural icons, which incorporate symbols from Hindu traditions like mandalas and mudras, have been central to the worship practices of local Catholic communities for over three decades. Through ritual ethnography, the study reveals how these visual representations mediate ritual affectivity and communal imagination, impacting identity formation and spiritual engagement in a multi-religious context. Respondents—including worshippers, ministers, and religious students—attest to the transformative impact of these images, as they negotiate between Christian metaphors and Hindu aesthetic traditions. The research is grounded in practical theology, liturgical theology, and ritual studies, contributing to the works of Indian Christian cultural activists like Jyoti Sahi. By exploring the creative dynamics of visual approach, visual appeal, and visual affinity within worship spaces, the study elucidates the complex processes of meaning making through symbolic mediation in interreligious environments.

Liturgical Theology: Liturgical Inculturation as an Effort to Maintain Religious and Cultural Identity for Catholic Students who are Prospectives Catechists of The Batak Tribe

Local culture has extraordinary wealth for the people who have it and makes life valuable. The existence of local culture is eroded by the presence of outside cultures and becomes consumed by the younger generation, including Catholic students. Cultural changes have also changed for the community, especially students as a young generation. This has an impact on the inculturation of local culture (Batak culture) in the church through Catholic liturgy. This research aims to find out the main elements in the inculturative liturgy, namely aspects of language, building architecture, liturgy music, liturgical clothing, and dance movements, which are cultural artworks that have the values of Batak community life and become an attraction for Catholic students as a form of love for local wisdom. This research uses a descriptive qualitative method with interview techniques for informants, the collection of supporting data through documentation, and direct observation related to the facts that occur about the implementation of liturgical inculturation. Key informants in this research include Catholic students, parish pastoral councils and parishioners, and cultural leaders. The research findings show that Catholic students really understand the basic concept of Catholic liturgical inculturation of local culture in the form of church music, dance, clothing, singing, architectural forms of church buildings, and language. Another finding is that students' love for local culture (Batak culture) in Catholic church liturgy is evidenced by taking part in the celebration of inculturation liturgy. This research shows that Catholic students have an understanding of and love for local culture in the celebration of the inculturation Eucharist.

Sejarah, Struktur dan Teologi Doa Syukur Agung Ketiga Tata Perayaan Ekaristi 2020

This article is entitled "History, Structure and Theology of the Third Eucharistic Prayer for the 2020 Eucharistic Celebration: Pastoral Vision Management and Leadership." This article aims to provide a deeper understanding of the development, structure and theological significance of the third Eucharistic Prayer in the 2020 Eucharistic Celebration. This paper focuses on selecting the Third Eucharistic Prayer as the main study, based on the idea of the Liturgy as the source and pinnacle of Church life as described in the Sacrosanctum Concilium (SC) n. 10. Liturgy is not only a formal ritual of worship, but also the core of the identity and mission of the Catholic Church which drives and gives meaning to all ecclesiastical activities. Thus, this paper tries to explain the inspirations originating from liturgical texts, especially DSA III, which can be applied in the pastoral work of the Catholic Church. This paper aims to create bridge between liturgical theology and its application in a concrete pastoral context. By exploring the meaning of DSA III, we can find inspiration that can help direct the Vision Management and Pastoral Leadership of the Catholic Church. Indeed, the inspiration for the Vision Management and Pastoral Leadership of the Catholic Church can be found in various sources, including the Holy Bible and the teachings of the Church Fathers, but this paper is a simple effort that tries to highlight the potential contained in DSA III, a prayer that is very often used in celebration of the Eucharist on Sunday by the faithful. In this research it was found that DSA III contains some key values that can be applied in management and pastoral leadership within a parish. Thus, DSA is also a series of prayers which are intended to be prayed and absorbed together by the priest and the congregation. More than that, DSA is not limited to a series of prayers that stop at the Eucharistic liturgy. DSA is also lived out in daily activities, especially when people gather together at church to be involved in church services.

Teologi Liturgi Dan Ibadah Virtual

Liturgy is not only about the arrangement of the service program, not only about the agenda of worship. But the service itself is a liturgy. Because of this, we know the terms Sunday worship liturgy, family worship liturgy, marriage confirmation and blessing liturgy, funeral liturgy and so on. What exactly do we understand by liturgical theology and virtual worship? Because churches have held virtual services and liturgy, which were not held before. And will virtual worship still be relevant when the pandemic has passed? Therefore, this article is intended to examine the theology of liturgy and virtual worship. Liturgical theology and virtual worship are actually theology and reflection, as well as Christian congregational activities that can be applied or practiced directly in certain situations, in this case during the Covid-19 pandemic. When the Covid-19 pandemic has passed, then virtual worship is possible is no longer needed. Because basically direct fellowship in places of worship or churches, where the congregation meets and shakes hands in person, is an essential need for humans as social creatures. However, it is still possible to hold virtual services because it is necessary for congregants who are sick and have permanent illnesses, so that congregants cannot come to worship at the house of worship directly and want to receive online worship services.

Harmony or Discordance between Sacramental and Liturgical Theology?

This paper aims to show a way of approximating between liturgical studies and sacramental theology, trying to undo a too formal separation between the two sciences. The paramount cause is to be found at the request of Sacrosanctum Concilium, starting from the link between the two to achieve a greater and more fruitful participation of those faithful to the sacraments. In the words of Card. Ratzinger, this request has not been fully met. The dichotomy and relationship between the notions of theoria and praxis in both sciences are presented as the need for a solid foundation or philosophical frame of reference with a metaphysical or realistic background, attending to the problems raised by the International Theological Commission in the document on “The Reciprocity between Faith and Sacraments in the Sacramental Economy” (1999). The pathway is open, some solutions are proposed, and an attempt is made to show the importance of this subject for the understanding of man himself and his Christian life.

Natura liturgii i jej znaczenie dla życia Kościoła w świetle Konstytucji Sacrosanctum Concilium

The Second Vatican Council contributed much to the development of the theology of the liturgy, liturgical theology, but also introduced some practical and legal changes in the celebration and organization of liturgical life. The way to liturgical reform was reopened primarily by involving the laity. Liturgy, as the source and summit of Christian life, gives meaning to the Church and strengthens it on the way of salvation.

Sent Out into the World: A Liturgical Theology for a Parish Community and the New Evangelization. A Reading of The Order of the Dedication of a Church by Michael McGourty (review)

Sent Out into the World: A Liturgical Theology for a Parish Community and the New Evangelization. A Reading of The Order of the Dedication of a Church by Michael McGourty (review)

Who’s on First?

Abstract The terms first, second, and third article theology are relatively new, and theologians use them equivocally. Veli-Matti Kärkkäinen’s first article theology focuses on the doctrines of God, revelation, and creation in and of themselves, that is, on theological topics broadly associated with the first article of the Creed. Another way to approach first article theology is to make a theology of the Father the perspective from which to view other systematic loci. Pentecostal theologians might benefit from such a theological inquiry, if for no other reason than as an exercise in the discipline associated with rigorous systematic thinking and as training in the kind of speculative theology that they have traditionally avoided. A methodology marked by a theology of the Father in trinitarian perspective and brought to bear upon other systematic loci might be compatible with a methodology marked by the liturgical theology axiom lex orandi, lex credendi.

‘Count your Blessings!’ The Interpretive Potential of Sacramental Theology for Everyday Ritualizations around Food

In this article, the authors explore the yield of a sacramental lens on extra-ecclesial ritualizations around food in contemporary Dutch ‘secularized’ culture. In an effort to explore the scope of sacramental theology beyond the liturgical ritual of the Eucharist/Holy Communion, they conclude that sacramental theology as a heuristic lens has a promising potential to reveal what is at stake when it comes to ordinary practices of food. Taking Louis-Marie Chauvet’s ground-breaking study Symbol and Sacrament as a point of departure for a sacramental frame, and using three examples from a recent Dutch TV series on counting blessings at dinner time, they seek to answer the question “What is the heuristic potential of a sacramental perspective on food-related ritualizations in everyday life?” The authors conclude that everyday ritualizations, in turn, constructively challenge ‘classic’ sacramental and liturgical theology. Thus, a sacramental lens on extra-ecclesial food-related ritualizations can enhance the understanding of the Eucharist/Holy Communion, as well as reveal what is at stake when it comes to ordinary (ritualized) practices of food.

“In Communion with God”: The Inculturation of the Christian Liturgical Theology of Giulio Aleni in His Explication of the Mass (Misa Jiyi)

Liturgical practice and its theological interpretation are not only very important to the Chinese inculturation of Catholicism in particular and Christianity in general but also of great significance in the establishment of an indigenized Christian faith and system of life. This paper will analyze the methodological approaches and historical inspirations for the inculturation of Christian liturgical theology through Giulio Aleni’s (1582–1649) Explication of the Mass (Misa Jiyi, 弥撒祭义), the first book to utilize Chinese cultural resources to systematically interpret the Mass (Eucharist). Continuing the general Jesuit accommodation initiated by Matteo Ricci, Aleni established an indigenized liturgical system of theology through intercultural learning, borrowing, and creative construction. Three of his contributions especially stand out. First, Aleni explained the significance of the Mass in terms of the Chinese philosophical–ethical concepts of “repaying the roots” (baoben, 报本) and “giving thanks” (gan’en, 感恩). Second, he elaborated on communion with the Trinitarian God in the Mass through Jesus Christ by drawing on the ancient Chinese teachings of repaying (chou, 酬), commemoration (shi, 示), and hope (wang, 望), which Aleni related to “giving thanks to the Father,” “commemorating Jesus,” and “invoking the Holy Spirit.” Finally, he provided a deep spiritual explanation of the Mass, using the traditional Confucian concepts of “self-restraint” (keji, 克己), “self-reflection” (fanji, 反己), and “spiritual meditation” (chouyi, 抽绎) to help believers understand the activities of repentance, commemoration, and prayer in the Mass. Overall, Aleni emphasized that the essence of the Mass was to achieve “communion with the heart of heavenly Lord” (xihe tianzhuzhixin, 翕合天主之心), which, as a pivot of faith, could be extended into daily life through its spiritual practice. Aleni, therefore, established a comprehensive system of “liturgy-spirituality-life” for Chinese Christians by indigenizing Christian liturgical theology through intercultural learning. His creative synthesis yielded a dynamic balance between Christian and Chinese traditions, absorbing Confucian resources to imaginatively enrich and expand the Christian tradition, while encouraging the creative transformation of the Christian tradition into the Chinese cultural community.

Hear my cry, o god, listen to my prayer: intersections between domestic violence and liturgy in the prayer of confession

ABSTRACT Given the pervasive nature of domestic violence, it is safe to say that there are women present in every Sunday service who have suffered, or are currently suffering, domestic violence. While liturgy’s ‘limits’ must be acknowledged, it is surprising that domestic violence has not received greater attention by liturgical theologians, with few liturgical resources available for use outside of women-only groups. There is a clear and pressing need for trauma-informed liturgical resources for use in regular Sunday services. This article explores the intersection between domestic violence and liturgy with a focus on the prayer of confession. Prayers of confession are explored from several angles – including the historic and the non-textual elements – to examine the ways in which each may intersect with domestic violence. In each case, a different prayer of confession is used as a ‘lens’ to view how the trauma caused by domestic violence may be compounded or reinscribed by their use. Alternatives to traditional prayers of confession are then considered, with the conclusion drawn that one of the most suitable alternatives is a prayer of lament. Using the preceding discussion as its foundation, an example of an appropriate prayer of lament is then outlined.

With Whom Should One Worship? A Fresh Perspective on John Calvin’s Liturgical Theology of Physical Proximity and Spiritual Epidemic

COVID-19 has taught us that whom one surrounds oneself with has a profound influence on one’s well-being. In that light, does whom we worship with matter as well? John Calvin would in fact argue that the people we physically worship with have a great impact on our spiritual life. According to Calvin, if you simply worship with (who he deemed to be) the unrighteous group of people, you will lose your spiritual health or even endanger salvation. This is why he was so insistent on asking the French Protestants to leave France and join him in Geneva. What is striking is that worshipping with the right kind of people does not have that automatic effect. Rather, they have to actively engage in many beneficial activities together, encouraging and empowering one another. This is because, for Calvin, while unrighteousness itself is highly contagious, growing in a nurturing community takes conscious and purposeful effort. In this sense, Calvin explains that idolatry and unrighteousness were a spiritual epidemic that is spread physically, while true piety is acquired through a communal practice of many forms of spiritual exercises. This article will have many important contributions to the field of worship and faith formation. Most notably, while scholars have long been addressing Calvin’s view of active practices during worship which help faith formation, I will show that that is not all there is. Instead, I will demonstrate how even simple physical proximity in worship can have an impact on one’s spiritual growth in Calvin’s thought. Another important contribution of this article would be offering a clearer presentation of Calvin’s sacramental theology of body and soul. Scholars have long been arguing that, for Calvin, the bodily participation in a Roman Catholic mass while believing in (what was for him) the true gospel was a serious sin of idolatry and hypocrisy. My article will further develop this idea by noting that, according to Calvin, not only is it wrong to do one thing with one’s body and another with one’s soul but having one’s body in a negative environment is harmful to one’s soul. If one’s body is surrounded by other people who do not believe in the true gospel, it would have a devastating impact on one’s soul. In other words, for Calvin, the body and soul influence each other in a way that has sacramental and developmental implications.

The Why and How of Liturgical Theology: Dissecting a Method

Liturgical theology is a relatively new sub-discipline of theology. Despite many efforts, clarity is still lacking in both its purpose and methodology. In this study, the liturgical-theological method of luminary Kevin W. Irwin is dissected, diagrammed, and evaluated in direct response to recent calls in the academy for clarity in liturgical-theological method; the study also contributes to the ongoing conversation as to what liturgical theology is, why it matters, and how it is to be undertaken.

Ecology and the Eucharist: Pope Francis’s Liturgical Theology of Caring for Our Common Home

Ten years into his papacy, this article explores Pope Francis’s concern for ecology and the environment in relation to the church's liturgy and sacraments, especially the eucharist. How Christians pray liturgically, especially at the eucharist, should inform Christian ethics, including our care for our common home. Drawing from Francis’s Laudato Si’ and Desiderio Desideravi, as well as from various works by liturgical and sacramental theologian Kevin Irwin, this article aims to demonstrate the close connection that exists in Francis’s thought between the church's liturgy and the church's relationship with the natural world. Though it has been particularly emphasized in recent decades, care for creation can be grounded theologically in the church's tradition, especially in its liturgical prayer and sacramental theology. As Francis writes, “It is in the Eucharist that all that has been created finds its greatest exaltation” ( Laudato Si’, 236).

Fr. Alexander Schmemann’s Liturgical Theology and the Need for Mystagogy in the Church Today

Sciendo provides publishing services and solutions to academic and professional organizations and individual authors. We publish journals, books, conference proceedings and a variety of other publications.

A Sacred Cyberspace? Towards the Ontology of Virtual Worship

Abstract Due to COVID-19 restrictions, the Orthodox Church was compelled to move its worship to online platforms. What does such a shift mean in terms of liturgical theology and ontology? To what extent, and in what sense, is participation possible online? How does the virtual space function as a liturgical space? What kind of ontological and aesthetic problems are involved? Orthodox theologians have not yet developed answers to such questions. This paper approaches the problem in the light of Pseudo-Dionysian ontology, supplemented by Alexander Schmemann’s ideas, proposing that virtual worship offers a new sub-category of liturgical reality that reflects the higher forms of reality. To paraphrase the words of Pseudo-Dionysius, cyberspace constitutes a medium in which “like represents like,” though it uses formations that are “even entirely inadequate and ridiculous.”

The Routledge Handbook of African Theology

The Routledge Handbook of African Theology

Is it a Tenebrae Moment Again?: On Crisis in Liturgical Theology as an Opportunity for Renewal

Is it a Tenebrae Moment Again?: On Crisis in Liturgical Theology as an Opportunity for Renewal

ЦИКЛ АКАФИСТА В АЛТАРНОЙ РОСПИСИ МАРКОВА МОНАСТЫРЯ

The author analyzed the iconography of the fresco cycle of the Akathist to the Mother of God of the 14th century from Markov Monastery in Macedonia and its connection with liturgical theology. Location of the hymn illustrations above the symbolic scene of the Divine Liturgy differs from numerous similar cycles in monumental ensembles of the 14th century. Illustrations of Akathist Hymn known since the end of the 13th century, and the Divine Liturgy which became widespread in the Paleologian era in the monuments of Serbia are presented in the painting of the Markov Monastery in visual comparison. The meaning of this painting programme allows to understand the work of the Byzantine theologian of the second half of the 14th century Nicholas Kavasila, dedicated to the interpretation of the liturgy. Without insisting on the direct influence of Byzantine texts on the iconographic programme of the frescoes, it can be argued that the general ideas of hesychasm typical to Byzantine and Slavic theologians and painters of this time were the source of new visual interpretations that offered imagery representations of the history of human salvation. Iconography of the illustrations of the Akathist Hymn, the Great Entrance and Proskomidia in the context of the symbolic and historical interpretation of the liturgy were researched.