RS 720 LITURGY/SACRAMENTS
Spring 2007
RS
720 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
3
Grad Credits (h)
256-1609 jleonard@edgewood.edu
Description/Objectives
Research
into specialized topics that relate to liturgical and sacramental celebrations
including their theological, historical and cultural contexts. A study of
various forms of liturgical expressions in the light of traditional and contemporary
practice.
1. To experience a variety of Christian sacramental celebrations with an eye to verbal, ritual and other sensorial expressions of the encounter between Mystery and humans.
2. To
investigate the historical, cultural, and theological development of principal
liturgical celebrations among Christians.
3. To
understand and rehearse the preparation of actual worship celebrations.
4. To
reflect on “sacramentality” and its elements in the light of contemporary and
post-modern thought.
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 once may need to withdraw.]
Journals. (8 points for each entry; 64% of the grade).
In addition, students are to keep journals in which they record their own
integration and reflection on course material and liturgical experiences
described below. Note that these Journal
entries should include integration of insights from the assigned readings,
class discussions and/or liturgical experiences for the respective unit.
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).
Semester
Paper/Project (36 points; 36% of the grade). The final
paper on a selected Sacrament or aspect of sacramental theology 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). Others may choose
instead to focus on sacramental theology in general and include insights from
contemporary philosophy, anthropology, psychology, sociology or ritual
studies. 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 on Reserve, back
issues of Worship are available in the periodicals section of the
Library and in the Instructor’s Library—Predolin 324.} Many of the liturgical and secondary texts
are available on the shelves in
-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 during the class
on which that sacrament is discussed; those who focus on general aspects of
Sacramental Theology will be asked to present summaries as appropriate 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
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.
Hughes, H. Kathleen, Saying Amen: A
Mystagogy of Sacrament.
Osborne, Kenan B. Christian Sacraments in
a Postmodern World. NY: Paulist, 1999.
Power, David N. Sacrament: The Language of God’s Giving. NY: Crossroad, 1999.
White, James F. The Sacraments in
Protestant Practice and Faith,
Recommended
Texts
Liturgical Documents and Texts as
described/listed in the syllabus (most can be borrowed). E.g., Mary Ann Simcoe,
ed. The Liturgy Documents,
Bausch, William J. A New Look at the Sacraments. Mystic, CT:
XXIIIrd, 1983; or Guzie, Tad. The
Book of Sacramental Basics.
Dallen, James. The Reconciling Community: The Rite of Penance.
NY:
Foley, Edward. From Age to Age.
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., editors. The Study of
Liturgy. Revised Edition.
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.
Searle, Mark. Liturgy Made Simple Collegeville: Liturgical
Press, 1981.
White, James F. Introduction
to Christian Worship. Revised Edition.
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
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?
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 Osborne, Kenan, Christian
Sacraments in a Postmodern World 193-198 (yes!) then [74-83], 140-147; [84-93],
109-111.
Hughes,
Saying Amen, ch. 2, p. 17-32.
Chauvet,
Louis-Marie, The Sacraments: The Word of God at the Mercy of the Body, chapters 1-3.
White,
James, The Sacraments in Protestant Practice & Faith, 13-30
OPTIONAL from LIBRARY RESERVE Assembly "Liturgical Gestures,"
73-80; "Liturgical Objects," 137-144; "The Beauty of
Holiness," 591-598; "The Senses Celebrate," 599-606; "The
Whole Body Worships," 607-614.
Journal Entry #2. With
which definition or description of sacrament/sacramentality do you find
yourself resonating and why?
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 of your own denomination (see your/a pastor).
White,
Sacraments in Protestant Practice & Faith, chs. 2-3 pp. 31-72
Power,
David, Sacrament: The Language of God’s Giving, pp. 99-113.
Johnson, Maxwell, The Rites of Christian Intitiation:
Their Evolution and Interpretation. (Collegeville: Liturgical Press, 1999):
chapter 8, pp. 291-363
Hughes, Saying Amen, chs. 3-5, pp. 33-100.
RESERVE
Assembly "Initiation Revisited," 289-296; "Confirmation
& the Church" 377-384.
Attend/Participate in the celebration of Initiation (Baptism of
Infants or Adult Baptism) and/or Confirmation at Easter or before May. Afterwards, reflect on your experience in
Journal Entry #3.
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?
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.]
Power, David, Sacrament: The Language of God’s Giving, pp. 113- 117.
Hughes, Saying Amen, ch. 10. pp. 179-199.
Mitchell, Nathan, ed. “Real Presences,” Assembly
23:3 (May 1997): 17-24.
RESERVE. Kenan Osborne "Eucharistic Theology
Today," in Bernard Lee, ed. Alternative Futures: Eucharist, pp.85-113.
RESERVE. Mitchell, Nathan, “ Sacramental Presence: Contexts for the
Contemporary Discussion” Liturgy Digest4:2 (1997) 87-119.
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 at Eagle School
(off Fish Hatchery); 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
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)
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.
White, James, Sacraments In Protestant Faith and Practice, 48-51.
[Smolarski, Sacred Mysteries, 52-63]
Attend/Participate in the Rite of Confirmation celebrated in
the Roman, Anglican or Lutheran Tradition apart from Baptism.
Journal Entry #5.
Describe briefly the context and content of the celebration of
Confirmation. What theologies of
Baptism, Church, Spirit, and
Unit
VI Reconciliation /
Sacraments and Social Justice
(4/13/07)
- History, Practice and
Interpretation of Reconciliation
*** Catholic Social Teaching Lecture—Dr. Michael Schuck—7 PM Anderson
Read 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.
[White, James F. Sacraments in Protestant Practice & Faith,
119-125]
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.]
Journal Entry #6. How
would you relate the things Dr. Schuck related concerning Catholic Social
Teaching with Christian sacramental celebrations? What elements of current liturgical praxis
contradict Catholic Social Teaching?
What ritual, symbol-actions call for change or rehearse the participants
in an attitude or behavior that can transform the systems of injustice and
oppression?
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.
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.
Attend/Participate in the celebration of a Christian wedding
and/or ordination.
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?
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;
Mitchell, Nathan, ed. “Anointing the Sick” Assembly
20:4 (September 1994) 647-654.
White, James F. Sacraments in Protestant Practice & Faith, 125-128.
Attend/Participate in the celebration of a Christian communal
healing service and/or pastoral visit / anointing of a sick individual.
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?
Unit IX Critique
of Sacramental Theologies (5/11/07)
- The
Challenge of Liberation Theologies
- The
Challenge of Postmodern Thought
Read Kilmartin, Edward, "Theology
of the Sacraments" in R. Duffy , ed. Alternative Futures: Introduction,
123-175.
Power, David, N. Sacrament: The Language
of God’s Giving, Part III. 207-324;
Osborne, Kenan, Christian Sacraments in a Postmodern World, 137-198.
Chauvet, Louis-Marie, The Sacraments: The Word of God at the Mercy of the
Body.