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Religions
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Liturgical Formation, Culture and Christian Imagination
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Liturgical Formation, Culture and Christian Imagination

A special issue of Religions (ISSN 2077-1444).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 January 2024) | Viewed by 6876

Special Issue Editor

Prof. Dr. Juan Rego

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Liturgical Institute, Pontifical University of the Holy Cross, 00186 Rome, Italy
Interests: liturgical studies; anthropology; art; aesthetics; ritual studies

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Religious experience is deeply rooted in ritual practices and social imagination. In traditional and postmodern societies, ritual practices shape habits and ways of thinking. At the same time, ritual practices are framed by cultural, theological and political agendas. From this perspective, Christian liturgy is no exception. Christian liturgy is an ordering force in social and individual life, and its historical development reveals the complex influence of popular imagination, theological debates and cultural policies on its practice and justification.

A common feature of the liturgical movements of the twentieth century was the recognition of the link between the liturgy and the social renewal of Christian life. In all of them, liturgical formation was seen as a key factor in living the liturgical action and transforming society. As can be seen in Romano Guardini's landmark works on methods in liturgical studies (Über die systematische Methode in der Liturgiewissenschaft, 1921) and on liturgical formation (Liturgie und Liturgische Bildung, 1923), the task to be accomplished implied “formation for the liturgy” and “formation through the liturgy”, the latter being essential and the former instrumental.

A hundred years later, this Special Issue aims to explore the interactions between liturgical formation, culture and the Christian imagination. Contributors are encouraged to build on the significant work that has been done in recent years in three main areas of research:

– Formation for the liturgy

The first area aims to reflect on ritual learning and liturgical education. Questions that may inspire the analysis include the historical appraisal of the methodologies used in liturgical studies and the experiences and models of liturgical formation in universities, seminaries and catechesis. Particular attention can be accorded to transdisciplinary dialogues and the critical function of liturgical studies within theological studies (e.g., dialogue between liturgical studies, biblical studies, systematic theology, moral theology, pastoral theology, canon law and church history) and the humanities (e.g., history, philosophy, psychology, sociology and ritual studies).

– The formation of the Christian imagination through liturgical experience

This area is concerned with the formative dimension of the ritual action itself. Key topics include the relationship between artistic experience and the aesthetic dimension of liturgy; the correlation between ritual memory and social imagination; contemplation in and through liturgical action; the interplay between the Holy Spirit and human symbolic action; emotions in ritual performances and the formation of the self; and the interaction between liturgical performance, mystagogy and meditative practices in the formation of the liturgical imagination.

– Formed by the liturgy 

The third area of research explores the impact of formation through liturgy in everyday life. Open questions for consideration include the relationship between liturgy and ethics; the transformative dynamic of liturgy: from reconciliation to communion; liturgy and work; liturgy and social justice; norm and play in the formation of the moral self; ecology and the sacramental vision of the world; and ritual habits and Christian virtues.

Please send 500-word abstracts and a short bio to the Guest Editor (). Final papers will be due on 20 October 2023.

Prof. Dr. Juan Rego
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a double-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Religions is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 1800 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • worship
  • liturgical formation
  • methodology
  • Christian imagination
  • liturgical experience
  • mystagogy
  • Christian ethics
  • ritual studies

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Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

14 pages, 211 KiB  
Article
Biographically Anchored Liturgies as a Starting Point for Liturgical Formation
by Stephan Winter and Lisa Kühn
Religions 2024, 15(4), 423; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel15040423 - 29 Mar 2024
Viewed by 896
Abstract
The liturgical professional development project for pastoral workers and clergy in the Diocese of Rottenburg-Stuttgart has been developed in collaboration with the Department of Liturgical Studies at the University of Tübingen. The concept of biographical learning is the innovative element that explores a [...] Read more.
The liturgical professional development project for pastoral workers and clergy in the Diocese of Rottenburg-Stuttgart has been developed in collaboration with the Department of Liturgical Studies at the University of Tübingen. The concept of biographical learning is the innovative element that explores a new type of liturgical formation (Bildung) where the learning content explores the participant’s unique biography of learning, faith development, and theological education and the impact of these on their understanding of the liturgy and their liturgical practice. The learning process aims to equip professional pastoral theologians to reflect on and be responsive to the liturgical–pastoral contexts in which they work. The Department of Liturgical Studies provides the learning structure and context, while the diocese provides the teaching space and enables the participants to attend. The learning outcomes are unrelated to a specific professional or employment structure or associated with a points system, management, or career progression process. The project provides a learning process rather than a program of learning, distinguishing itself from many traditional approaches to liturgical formation. The challenge for the teaching team is to provide the participants with conceptual or theoretical material to reflect on their biographical narrative of theology and then apply this concept of biographical learning in their specific and diverse pastoral contexts. As part of the biographical learning process, participants contribute to “feedback loops” to the diocese and the teaching team. This paper does not address the competency framework for career development, employment assessment, or learning comprehension. All evaluations of professionalism, role attainment, career development, and competency are employment matters and are the purview of the Diocese of Rottenburg-Stuttgart. However, the learning process provides participants with frameworks for self-assessment and feedback loops to evaluate the teaching team, the process, and the content. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Liturgical Formation, Culture and Christian Imagination)
15 pages, 291 KiB  
Article
Harmony or Discordance between Sacramental and Liturgical Theology?
by Luz Imelda Acedo Moreno
Religions 2024, 15(3), 334; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel15030334 - 11 Mar 2024
Viewed by 1233
Abstract
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 [...] Read more.
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. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Liturgical Formation, Culture and Christian Imagination)
17 pages, 280 KiB  
Article
The Emmaus Account as a Paradigm for Liturgical Formation of Families: Principles and Pastoral Applications with Reference to Pope Francis’ Desiderio Desideravi
by Marco Benini
Religions 2024, 15(1), 111; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel15010111 - 16 Jan 2024
Viewed by 1216
Abstract
This article addresses the need for liturgical formation that Pope Francis recently highlighted for the whole Catholic Church in his apostolic letter Desiderio Desideravi. The current American Eucharistic Revival encourages engagement in this. Based on a detailed spiritual–liturgical reading of the Emmaus account [...] Read more.
This article addresses the need for liturgical formation that Pope Francis recently highlighted for the whole Catholic Church in his apostolic letter Desiderio Desideravi. The current American Eucharistic Revival encourages engagement in this. Based on a detailed spiritual–liturgical reading of the Emmaus account (Lk 24:13–35), the article develops guiding principles for liturgical catechesis and considers their practical applications with a particular focus on families. The first principle underscores the connection between liturgy and life, which makes catechesis relevant for daily life, e.g., by including testimonies of parents. A second principle outlines the pivotal importance of symbols and suggests methods to enhance their understanding. Fostering active participation in the liturgy, the third principle, is a practical consequence because the celebration itself forms the participants. Moreover, liturgical catechesis connects explanation and experience, as the mystagogical catecheses of the Church fathers demonstrated. Along with Pope Francis, this article also highlights Sunday as a gift and discusses ways of integrating families in the Sunday Eucharist. Finally, the last principles shed light on the task of the priest as the “catechist of catechists”. This article both explains the biblical basis of these principles and outlines practical ways to implement liturgical catechesis for families in parishes. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Liturgical Formation, Culture and Christian Imagination)
11 pages, 233 KiB  
Article
Learning from Experience: Liturgical Formation as a Central Component of Religious Education in Schools
by Daniel Seper
Religions 2023, 14(12), 1506; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel14121506 - 5 Dec 2023
Viewed by 1295
Abstract
Religious education in schools was, for a long time, liturgically shaped until liturgical formation was no longer seen as a task of schools but of parish catechesis in many countries. Current approaches try to develop a liturgical didactic that is adapted to the [...] Read more.
Religious education in schools was, for a long time, liturgically shaped until liturgical formation was no longer seen as a task of schools but of parish catechesis in many countries. Current approaches try to develop a liturgical didactic that is adapted to the school as a place of learning. Based on the confessional model of religious education in Austria, this paper shows the challenges and significance of liturgical formation in reference to Pope Francis’ letter Desiderio Desideravi. In combining perspectives of religious education and liturgical studies, the necessary conditions for liturgical formation to succeed are shown. A didactic of Catholic liturgy that builds on established didactics and strives for liturgical formation on the cutting edge is presented, adapted to the setting of schools and distinct from parish catechesis. One way of responding to the lack of experience is with the help of performative didactics to enable practical experiences that, framed in reflection, form the basis for engagement with the liturgy. Such a liturgical didactic aims at enabling competence in matters of worship, considering all people, if a renewed understanding of liturgy is taken seriously, according to which worship is the celebration of the whole assembly and therefore requires a corresponding participation of all. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Liturgical Formation, Culture and Christian Imagination)
19 pages, 2266 KiB  
Article
Regions, History, and Identity in Medieval Liturgics: The Outlines of a Methodology
by Miklós István Földváry and Ábel Stamler
Religions 2023, 14(12), 1448; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel14121448 - 22 Nov 2023
Viewed by 1438
Abstract
Apropos of Spanish or Languedocien elements manifest in the late 13th-century Durandus Pontifical, this study explores the relationship between high medieval ritual and identity formation. It introduces the notion of liturgical use, an inclusive term for the body of customs that determined the [...] Read more.
Apropos of Spanish or Languedocien elements manifest in the late 13th-century Durandus Pontifical, this study explores the relationship between high medieval ritual and identity formation. It introduces the notion of liturgical use, an inclusive term for the body of customs that determined the way ceremonies were performed by lasting communities with a sense of belonging together. The primary challenge of comparing uses lies in selecting and systematizing the relevant information and interpreting the results. The authors argue that this challenge can be met by reducing the evidence to textual items and positions that lend themselves to large-scale comparative analysis in both time and space. As the main methodological contribution, they introduce the principle of mapping and drawing historical and cultural conclusions from their patterns. By summarizing a decade of careful research into thousands of sources accomplished by the team of the Usuarium database, they present four historical layers of medieval liturgical history, termed formative periods, and outline convergent geographical areas that they call liturgical landscapes. Since data on a lower level rarely correspond to smaller contiguous areas, they interpret the phenomenon called artificial diversity through medieval concepts of regionality and cultural transfer, formulating some thought experiments to understand the ways in which a Europe of uses once functioned. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Liturgical Formation, Culture and Christian Imagination)
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