3304

The Renewal of Worship

Course description

The Western Church experienced unparalleled liturgical change during the twentieth century. This paper is designed to introduce students to the study of liturgy with particular reference to twentieth century liturgical renewal, current liturgical trends, and the relationship between liturgy and other theological disciplines.

Aims

To give students a good understanding of the

  • principal disciplines within the academic study of liturgy
  • role of liturgical worship in a number of different Christian traditions
  • liturgical movement and other worship renewal movements in the twentieth century
  • relationship between liturgy and other theological disciplines
  • relationship between contemporary and early liturgical texts.

Objectives

Having attended the classes and prepared for four tutorials students may be expected to have:

  • a good knowledge of the relationship between liturgical theology, pastoral liturgy, and the history of Christian worship in the twentieth century
  • a developed awareness of the role of liturgical worship in a number of different Christian traditions
  • a critical understanding of the way in which liturgical revision has made use of early liturgical texts
  • demonstrated their familiarity with the sets texts and ability to make appropriate use of them in the assessed essays.

The course will be taught through eight 90 minute classes, based on prescribed set texts:

1The Liturgical Movement

2The Renewal of Sacramental Theology

3The Liturgical Reforms of Vatican II

4Liturgy and Ecumenism

5Liturgy and Architecture

6New Eucharistic Prayers

7The Charismatic Renewal Movement

8Liturgy and Mission

4 tutorialsfor supervised research and writing of two submitted essays.

Classes focus on the prescribed texts, encourage group discussion of central questions around which the course is structured and prepare candidates for their tutorials and assessed essays; tutorials consolidate students’ understanding by writing essays on the wider issues covered by the course as a whole, preparing them to engage critically with two topics in the assessed essays.