RS 431 SACRAMENTAL CELEBRATIONS

 

Spring 2007

  SACRAMENTAL CELEBRATIONS

RS 431                                                                                                            John K. Leonard, Ph.D.

SPRING 2007, F 9:00-11:50                                                                          Predolin 324, 663-2823

Predolin 114                                                             Hours: M 1-2, 3-4; T 12-1:30, 4-6; R 11-1:30; F 3-4

4 Undergrad Credits                                                               (h) 256-1609   jleonard@edgewood.edu

Description/Objectives

Historical development and contemporary theology and practice of the chief liturgical rites of the Christian Churches.  Pastoral and practical implications for preparing and participating in sacramental liturgies.   Students will be able…

1.   To experience a variety of Christian sacramental celebrations with an eye to verbal, ritual and other sensate expressions of the encounter between Mystery and humans.

2.   To trace the historical development and contemporary practice of principal liturgical celebrations among Christians.

3.   To prepare actual sacramental celebrations by choosing from among the options and training the various ministers.

4.   To reflect coherently on “sacramentality” and its elements in the light of personal experience and contemporary theologies.  

Requirements / Assessment

Attendance/Participation/in Class. The success of the course depends on the full, conscious and active participation of all. [Students who must be absent more than three times may need to withdraw.]

Reports/Journal Entries. (8 points for each entry; 64% of the grade). Students are to keep journals in which they record their own integration and reflection on course material and liturgical experiences described below.  Note: because these Reports/Journal Entries must include integration of insights from the assigned readings, class discussions and/or liturgical experiences for the respective unit, they should normally be 3 – 5 pages in length. Each of the eight Journal entries is worth 8 points.  (Except for those that deal with the Easter Vigil or Sacraments celebrated later than the unit in which they are covered, journal entries are due via e-mail one week AFTER they are assigned).

Readings. Fruitful discussion depends on an early, thoughtful and critical reading of the texts assigned for each Unit. With the exception of Unit I, Readings assigned from the required texts are to be completed BEFORE the class meets.  Readings which are bracketed are strongly recommended and should be read as students find the time. Students are encouraged to write down and bring to the instructor (or send by e-mail) any questions or comments which arise from the readings or lectures. Given the limitations of our time together, this is one way to ensure that you have an opportunity to get feedback on what concerns you.

Semester Paper/Project  (36 points; 36% of the grade). The final paper on a selected Sacrament is to be built over the course of the semester. Students may elect to prepare a thorough study of a particular sacrament (for example, the origin and evolution of the rite, its theological interpretation, contemporary practice and critique/suggestions for further renewal). Ideally, these papers will be ready to present at the Edgewood Student Research Conference in April. 
Others may choose instead to prepare in full the celebration of one sacramental celebration including an Order of Worship for the ministers (with rubrical directives and brief commentary on the significance of elements unique to this celebration) and an Order of Worship for the rest of the assembly (everything the people will need to fulfill their role in the celebration).  Students who choose this option are expected to read and integrate insights from Mark Searle’s Liturgy Made Simple and Dennis Smolarski’s Sacred Mysteries, as well as the materials listed in the syllabus for that particular sacramental celebration.
Topic and initial bibliography are due on Feb 11th, First Draft of final paper is due April 13th.  

In every instance, the final paper/project is to include the annotated bibliography described next:

Bibliography  Students are to compile and annotate a bibliography for the study of their liturgical topic or celebration. [James White's Introduction to Christian Worship (pp 307-312) and David Power’s Sacrament: The Language of God’s Giving (325-329) include beginning bibliographies that may be used and expanded upon. Liturgy Digest, edited by Nathan Mitchell and his “Amen Corner,” published in each issue of Worship reviews hundreds of resources. {The four volumes of Liturgy Digest are available in PRD 324, back issues of Worship are available in the periodicals section of the Library and in the Instructor’s Personal Library.}  Many of the liturgical and secondary texts are available on the shelves in Edgewood's, the UW's, or the Instructor's library.  Official liturgical books of non-Catholic traditions may be available for borrowing from local pastors.]

-Final papers are to be typed, double-spaced, etc., according to Chicago/Turabian Stylesheet guidelines http://library.edgewood.edu/help/Chicago-style-guide.pdf   Those who choose a particular sacrament may be asked to present a summary of their findings to date during the class on which that sacrament is discussed; those who prepare a particular celebration may be asked to share the finished project during the last class (May 11th).

Alternatives. Students with any disability or genuine difficulty with these requirements are encouraged to meet with the instructor as soon as possible so that appropriate accommodations can be made. All students are encouraged to suggest alternative readings from their own traditions or other perspectives to supplement those listed here.

Required Texts

Hughes, H. Kathleen, Saying Amen: A Mystagogy of Sacrament. Chicago: LTP, 1999.

Mick, Lawrence.  Understanding Sacraments Today 2nd edition.  Collegeville: Liturgical Press, 2006.

Osborne, Kenan B. Sacramental Theology: A General Introduction. NY: Paulist, 1988.

Searle, Mark. Liturgy Made Simple Collegeville: Liturgical Press, 1981.

 

Highly Recommended Texts

Smolarksi, Dennis C. Sacred Mysteries: Sacramental Principles and Liturgical Practice. NY:Paulist, 1995. 

White, James F. The Sacraments in Protestant Practice and Faith, Nashville: Abingdon, 1999.

Recommended Texts

Richstatter, OFM, Thomas.  ONLINE RESOURCES on LITURGY & SACRAMENTS http://www.tomrichstatter.org/  Fr. Tom has brief outlines and extensive resources that makes this an excellent starting place to investigate possible topics and collate an up-to-date bibliography. 

Liturgical Documents and Texts as described/listed in the syllabus (most can be borrowed). E.g., Mary Ann Simcoe, ed. The Liturgy Documents, Chicago: Liturgy Training Publications, 1985.

Bausch, William J. A New Look at the Sacraments. Mystic, CT: XXIIIrd, 1983; or  Guzie, Tad. The Book of Sacramental Basics. New York: Paulist, 1981; or Monika Hellwig, The Meaning of the Sacraments. Dayton: Pflaum/Standard, 1981.

Chauvet, Louis-Marie.  The Sacraments: The Word of God at the Mercy of the Body. Collegeville: Liturgical Press, 2001 and/or his Symbol & Sacrament. Liturgical Press, 1995.

Dallen, James. The Reconciling Community: The Rite of Penance. NY: Pueblo, 1986.

Foley, Edward. From Age to Age. Chicago: Liturgy Training Publications, 1992; or Mitchell, Nathan. Cult and Controversy. New York: Pueblo, 1982.

Hughes, H. Kathleen, and Francis, Mark, R., eds. Living No Longer For Ourselves: Liturgy and Justice in the Nineties. Collegeville, Liturgical Press, 1991.

Johnson, Maxwell E. The Rites of Christian Initiation: Their Evolution and Interpretation.  Collegeville: Liturgical Press, 1999. 

Jones, C., Wainwright, G., Yarnold, E. Bradshaw. P., editors. The Study of Liturgy. Revised Edition. New York: Oxford University Press, 1992.

Koester, Anne Y. Liturgy and Justice: To Worship God in Spirit and Truth. Collegeville: Liturgical Press, 2001.

Lee, Bernard, general editor.  Alternative Futures for Worship, 7 volumes. Collegeville: Liturgical Press, 1987.

Mitchell, Nathan D.  Liturgy Digest. Volumes 1-4. Notre Dame: Center for Pastoral Liturgy, 1993-97.

Mitchell, Nathan D.  Liturgy and the Social Sciences.  American Essays in Liturgy. Collegeville: Liturgical Press, 1999. 

Osborne, Kenan. Sacramental Theology: A General Introduction New York: Paulist Press, 1989.

Schmemann, Alexander, For the Life of the World. St. Vladimir Press, 1973.

White, James F.  Introduction to Christian Worship. Revised Edition. Nashville: Abingdon, 1990.

 

 

Unit I                           Liturgy: The Human Encounter With Mystery                             (1/26/07)

            - General Overview: Working Definitions & Descriptions

            - Mystery and Reality

            - Symbol, Metaphor, Sacrament, Liturgy

Read   Mitchell, Nathan, “Lexicon” in Liturgy Digest 1:1 (Spring 1993): 93-121.

            Hughes, Saying Amen, ch.1, pp. 1-16.
[Chauvet, Louis-Marie, The Sacraments: The Word of God at the Mercy of the Body,  Chapter 4 ]

Report/Journal Entry #1.  Describe one liturgical or worship experience that moved you most deeply.  What were the sensorial elements that were involved in the experience?  What was the attitude or manner with which you and the others present performed the liturgy/worship?  How were you included or excluded in the rite? (Due by e-mail, January 28th)

 

 

Unit II                         Sacramental Embodiment                                                                 (2/2/07)

            - Sacramentality of Creation

            - Jesus = “Sacrament” of God? Church = “Sacrament” of Christ

            - Ritual Skills: Contemplative Doing/Paying Attention.

Read   Mitchell, Nathan, ed. “The Whole Body Worships,” Assembly 19:4 (July 1993)

            Osborne, Kenan, Sacramental Theology, 1-32; AND 69-99.  

            Hughes, Saying Amen, ch. 2, p. 17-32.

            Leonard, “Towards An Experiential Understanding of Sacramental Embodiment: Eucharist in the Christian Tradition” (Handout)

            [White, James, The Sacraments in Protestant Practice & Faith, 13-30;
Smolarski, Sacred Mysteries, 12-32
OPTIONAL but RECOMMENDED from Assembly "Liturgical Gestures," 73-80; "Liturgical Objects," 137-144; "The Beauty of Holiness," 591-598; "The Senses Celebrate," 599-606.]

 

                                    Sacramental Embodiment (continued)                                              (2/9/07)

            - Methods in Sacramental Theology

Read  Osborne, Sacramental Theology, 33-48.

           

Report/Journal Entry #2.  With which definition or description of sacrament/sacramentality do you find yourself resonating and why?  How would you explain to your peers what a sacrament is? That Jesus is the primordial sacrament and the Church the basic sacrament while Baptism or Eucharist is a sacrament of Christ and of the Church?  (Due by e-mail  February 11th)

 

ALSO DUE FEB 11th is the topic and initial bibliography for your semester project/paper.

 

Unit III                        Sacraments of Initiation: Practice & Interpretation                      (2/16/07)

            - Origin, Evolution, Dissolution, and Reform of Initiation
- Theologies of Initiation

- Contemporary Experience / Baptismal Spirituality

 

Read   The Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (On Reserve) or the "Rite of Baptism" from the Book of Common Prayer (Episcopal), or from the Lutheran Book of Worship (pastor's Edition), or Book of Common Worship/Directory of Worship (Presbyterian) or the official liturgical book(s) of your own denomination (see your/a pastor).

            Mick, Lawrence, Understanding the Sacraments Today, 13-31.

            Johnson, Maxwell, The Rites of Christian Initiation: Their Evolution and Interpretation. (Collegeville: Liturgical Press, 1999): chapter 8, pp. 291-363
Hughes, Saying Amen, chs. 3-5, pp. 33-100.
Assembly "Initiation Revisited," 289-296; "Confirmation & the Church" 377-384.
[White, Sacraments in Protestant Practice & Faith, chs. 2-3 pp. 31-72.
Smolarski, Sacred Mysteries, 33-51]

 

 

Unit III (cont.)            Principles and Practicalities for Celebrating Baptism                   (2/23/07)

- Principles of Preparation/ The Normative Easter Sacraments
- Using the Ritual Books
- Pastoral notes for Meaningful Celebrations

 

BRING to class a copy of the Rite of Baptism and hymnal used in your Church. 

 

 

Attend/Participate in the celebration of Initiation (Baptism of Infants or Adult Baptism) and/or Confirmation at the Easter Vigil on April 7th or before May.  Afterwards, reflect on your experience in Journal Entry #3. 

Report/Journal Entry #3. Briefly describe the liturgy itself (Include an Order of Worship if available.) Note especially the role(s) of the assembly and the role of the one(s) being initiated/confirmed. How is God's initiative/action ritualized? What words/actions give expression to the human response? How did the arrangement and decoration of the space contribute to the interpretation of baptism?  How were you included or excluded in the rite? (Due one week after you have observed and/or participated in the celebration of a Baptism:  May 11th at the latest!)

 

 

 

 

Unit IV                        Eucharist: Practice & Interpretation                                                (3/2/07)

- History of Eucharistic Practice

- Sacramental Sacrifice & Paschal Banquet
- Eucharistia, Anamnesis, Epiclesis, Communion, Eschatological Meal
- Sacramental Presence

             

Read   [White, Sacraments, chapters 4 &5, pp. 73-118.
Smolarski, Sacred Mysteries, 64-84.]
Mick, Understanding Sacraments Today, 48-70.
Hughes, Saying Amen, ch. 10. pp. 179-199.
Leonard, “Honoring the Real Presence in the Assembly,” Ministry & Liturgy 32:2 (March 2005) 14-16 manuscript.
Mitchell, Nathan, ed. “Real Presences,” Assembly 23:3 (May 1997): 17-24. 
World Council of Churches, Baptism, Eucharist and Ministry: Faith and Order Paper, No. 111;  click on Eucharist on the following website: http://www.oikoumene.org/index.php?id=2638 and note especially the 5 aspects of the mystery of the Eucharist. 
Mitchell, Nathan, “Sacramental Presence: Contexts for the Contemporary Discussion” Liturgy Digest4:2 (1997) 87-119. 

 

Unit IV (cont.)            Principles and Practicalities for Celebrating Eucharist                 (3/09/07)

- Principles of Preparation/ The Normative Easter Sacraments
- Using the Ritual Books
- Pastoral notes for Meaningful Celebrations

 

Read  Searle, Mark, Liturgy Made Simple.

 

BRING to class a copy of the Order of Mass or Holy Communion and hymnal used in your Church. 

 

Attend/Participate in a Sunday Service with Holy Communion of an Eastern Christian Church and a Western Christian denomination (other than your own, if possible). Antiochian Orthodox Christian Mission meets for Orthros at 8:30 am and Divine Liturgy at 9:30 am each Sunday: St. Ignatius of Antioch, 2124 Shafer Dr Fitchburg, WI 53711 [just off Raymond Rd near Verona Rd]); Assumption Greek Orthodox Church meets for Orthros at 9:00 and Divine Liturgy at 10:00 each Sunday at the corner of East Washington and 7th Street.  Schedules of services and locations for Western Christian Churches may be found in the Saturday edition of the Wisconsin State Journal. [Some denominations celebrate Communion only once a month or four times yearly—check ahead of time to be certain you will be present when communion is celebrated]

Report/Journal Entry #4. Briefly describe the liturgies (Include Orders of Worship if available.) Which of the five aspects of the Eucharist--Thanksgiving, Anamnesis, Epiclesis, Communion, Eschatological Meal – were emphasized/experienced most strongly and how were they expressed or ritualized? What verbal or non-verbal expressions acknowledged the various modes of Christ’s “Presence”? (Hint: Mitchell and Hughes may be very helpful in answering this second question) (Due March 18th ).

 

Unit V                         Confirmation: Rite in Search of a Theology                                  (3/23/07)

            - Three “Confirmations”
- Rites Practiced and Interpreted
- Spirit-Gifts & Spirituality

Read   Mick, Understanding Sacraments Today, 32-47.
Searle, Mark, ed. “Confirmation and the Church,” Assembly 14:1 (September 1987) 377-384. Grabner, John D. “The Laying on of Hands” in Assembly 13:3 (February 1987) 354-360.
Smolarski, Sacred Mysteries, 52-63

Attend/Participate in the Rite of Confirmation celebrated in the Roman, Anglican, Presbyterian or Lutheran Tradition (or a similar rite in another denomination) which is celebrated apart from Baptism. 

Report/Journal Entry #5.  Describe briefly the context and content of the celebration of Confirmation.  What theologies of Baptism, Church, Spirit, and Mission were expressed in words, ritual actions, and other visual/aural/sensorial elements?  How were you included or excluded in the rite?

 

 

 

Unit VI                        Reconciliation / Sacramental and Extra-Sacramental                  (4/13/07)

-         History, Practice and Interpretation of Reconciliation

-         Contemporary Experiences of Reconciliation outside the Church

 

Read   Mick, Lawrence, Understanding Sacraments Today, 71-91
Hughes, Kathleen, “Reconciliation,” in Saying Amen, 119-137.
Searle, Mark, ed. “The Reconciling Church,” Assembly 12:5 (June 1986): 329-336 and Mitchell, Nathan, ed. “Ritual, Recovery and Reconciliation,” Assembly 21:3 (September 1995): 679-686.

            SPECIAL READINGS assigned by K.R. Sullivan
[White, James F. Sacraments in Protestant Practice & Faith, 119-125
Smolarski, Sacred Mysteries, 85-95]
Fink, Peter, “History of the Sacrament of Reconciliation” in Alternative Futures for Worship, Volume 4: Reconciliation (Collegville; Liturgical Press, 1987): 73-89 [and his “Reconciliation and Forgiveness: A Theological Reflection,” in the same volume, pp. 43-72.]

Report/Journal Entry #6.    Participate in a Ritual of Reconciliation (in church or other context).  What symbol-actions in the rite you experienced “call for change” or rehearse the participants in an attitude or behavior that can transform the systems of injustice and oppression? What parts of the rite/ritual may be experienced as obstacles to reconciliation and healing?  (Due April 2nd)

First Draft of Semester Project/Paper Due on April 13th

 

 

Unit VII                      Sacraments of Vocation: Marriage/Orders                                   (4/20/07)

            - Practice and Interpretation of Marriage among Christians
- Practice and Interpretation of Ordering the Community
- Contemporary Challenges to Inherited Assumptions

 

Read   Searle, Mark, ed. “Marriage,” Assembly 9:4 (April 1983): 201-208;
Hughes, Kathleen, “Marriage and Vocation,” in Saying Amen, 101-117.
[White, James F. Sacraments in Protestant Practice & Faith, 128-137
Smolarski, Sacred Mysteries, 105-137]
Cooke, Bernard, “Historical Reflections on the Meaning of Marriage as a Christian Sacrament,” in Alternative Futures for Worship, Volume 5: Christian Marriage, (Liturgical Press, 1987) 33-46.
Whitehead, James D. “Christian Images of Community: Power and Leadership,” in Alternative Futures for Worship, Volume 6: Leadership Ministry (Liturgical Press, 1987) 23-36;
Mitchell, Nathan, ed. “Ministries Today: Service or Status?”Assembly 16:1 (October 1989) 457-464;
Leonard, John, “Presiding at Liturgical Prayer” and Janet Schlichting, OP “Putting on the Lord Jesus” in Assembly 14:5 (July 1989) 410-413, 416;
Malloy, Patrick, “Whose Ministry Is It?” in Assembly 15:5 (June 1989) 450-451.

 

BRING to class a copy of the Rite of Marriage (or its equivalent) and a hymnal used in your Church. 

 

Attend/Participate in the celebration of a Christian wedding and/or ordination. 

Report/Journal Entry #7 Describe briefly the context and content of the celebration you attended (include an Order of Service if available).  Comment on the theological assumptions or convictions concerning the relationship of the persons married /ordained to God, to each other, to the Church, to the World and how these were expressed in words, ritual actions, other sensorial elements.  How were you included or excluded in the rite? (Due May 11th)

 

 

Unit VIII                     Care of the Sick                                                                               (5/04/07)

            - Practice and Interpretation of Anointing
- Healing vs. Cure
- Challenges to inherited practices and understandings

Read   Cuenin, Walter H. “History of Anointing and Healing in the Church,” from Peter Fink, ed. Alternative Futures for Worship, 7: Anointing of the Sick (Collegeville: Liturgical Press, 1987) 65-81.
Hughes, Kathleen, “Pastoral Care of the Sick,” in Saying Amen, 139-158;
Leonard, “Pastoral Care of the Sick” (manuscript)
Mitchell, Nathan, ed. “Anointing the Sick” Assembly 20:4 (September 1994) 647-654.
[White, James F. Sacraments in Protestant Practice & Faith, 125-128]

 

 

BRING to class a copy of the Rite of Anointing (or its equivalent) and a hymnal used in your Church. 

 

Attend/Participate in the celebration of a Christian communal healing service and/or pastoral visit / anointing of a sick individual. 

Report/Journal # 8. Describe briefly the context and content of the celebration you attended (include an Order of Service if available).  Comment on the theologies of sickness and healing that were expressed in the words, ritual actions and other sensorial elements.  How were you included or excluded in the rite? (Due May 7th)

 

 

Unit IX                  Sacramental Theologies Today                                                             (5/11/07)

            - The Challenge of Liberation Theologies

            - The Challenge of Postmodern Thought

            - Final Reports

 

Read  
Osborne, Kenan, Sacramental Theology, 69-141.

Final Papers/Projects and Course Journal Entries Due