The definitive guide to the development of early Roman liturgy by one of the twentieth century's great liturgical scholars. The liturgy which developed at Rome during the early centuries of the Christian era was to establish the pattern for religious observance in the Latin West from the sixth century to the twentieth. Yet, for a variety of reasons, the origins and early development of this liturgy are far from clear. Evidence must be teased out of the various incidental references to be found in the writings of the early Church Fathers; Hippolytus, Cyprian, Ambrose, Augustineand ultimately Gregory the Great. In this book the late G.G. Willis draws on a lifetime's intimate knowledge of the liturgical evidence for early Roman practice in order to present a refreshingly clear guide to the early Roman liturgy - a subject for which there exists no accessible introduction in English. He provides a new synthesis of the most significant developments in the form of the Roman mass, calendar, episcopal services, rites of baptism andordination up to the time of Gregory the Great (590-604).

The endless wars of the seventeenth century took their toll in the lives of millions of soldiers and crushing taxes. To legitimise war, Europe s rulers turned to the Church: O God, we praise you , Te Deum Laudamus, was sung in the churches of France and Sweden to celebrate victory in battle. It was a way of thanking God, but also an opportunity for congregations to learn what had happened -- and an occasion for festivities. In this book, the historian Anna Maria Forssberg applies a narrative and ritual perspective to the Te Deum, looking at specific wars such as the Thirty Years War and at themes such as peace and enmity. This is a unique, comparative study of war propaganda in early modern times, and how it defined the roles of ruler and ruled alike. There were national differences, but ultimately all war stories were highly selective. Bloody defeat and uneventful everyday life were glossed over; what mattered were spectacular victories and royal glory. Yet in the end, the war stories peddled in both Sweden and France were profoundly challenged by the crisis of 1709.

Reintroduces the practice of eucharistic adoration for today, offering a simple guide for those new to it. Murphy explores the deep scriptural and human meaning of each of the seven sayings of Jesus. Each chapter also contains dialogue questions for conversation with Christ.

This book presents the complete texts of the gospel readings for every Sunday throughout the three-year cycle of the Sunday lectionary in the Catholic Church during the season of Ordinary Time, and for the solemnities and feasts which fall on Sundays. It may be used for personal study to enhance understanding and appreciation of the Sunday gospel. Each reading is accompanied by a short commentary, two questions for personal reflection and two prayers, to enable the gospels to be read in the contemplative tradition of Lectio Divina. These reflections have been written by the Revd Dr Adrian Graffy, a member of the Pontifical Biblical Commission. The gospels are from the Revised New Jerusalem Bible, a bold new rendition of the scriptures designed for study and proclamation, and acclaimed for the richness, accuracy and inclusivity of its language. A companion to this volume, The Sunday Gospels for Advent, Christmas, Lent and Easter, is to be released in November 2021.

In the second decade of the sixteenth century medieval piety suddenly began to be attacked in some places as "idolatry," or false religion. This study calls attention to the importance of the idolatry issue during the Reformation.

God calls humans to be creative. The human drive to represent transcendent truths witnesses to the fact that we are destined to be transfigured and to transfigure the world. It is worth asking, then, what truthful representations, whether in art, spirituality, or theology, teach us about the one who is our truth, the one who made us and the one in whose image we are made. All Things Beautiful: An Aesthetic Christology is an experimental and constructive aesthetic Christology sourced by close readings of a wide array of artistic works, canonical and popular-including poems, films, essays, novels, plays, short stories, sculptures, icons, and paintings-as well as art criticism and passages from the Christian Scriptures. From first to last, these readings engage in conversation with the deep, broad wisdom of the Christian theological tradition. The liturgical calendar guides the themes of the book, beginning with Advent and Christmas; carrying through Epiphany, Ash Wednesday, Lent, Good Friday, Easter, and Ascension; and ending with Pentecost and Ordinary Time. Chris Green brings together these readings to create a mosaic-like impression of Jesus as the one through whom God graces and gives nature to all things, his life and death redeeming the whole creation, including human creativity and artistic endeavor, and transfiguring it into the full, free flourishing that God has purposed. This vision of Christ holds promise for artists and theologians, as well as preachers and teachers, revealing how our compulsions to create-and the meanings with which we endow our creations-become a site of the Spirit's presence, opening us to the goodness and wildness of God.

This book thrusts the reader into the intellectual turmoil of medieval Europe. In interrelated studies of largely unexplored material dating from the ninth through to the fourteenth centuries, the contributors explore changes in functions and forms of liturgical poetry and music, and of biblical interpretation. Although the twelfth century constitutes the main focus, the phenomena dealt with here had roots in earlier times and remained in circulation in later centuries. The cultural heritage of the Carolingian intellectuals tied to the palace school of Charles the Bald is examined in a liturgical context. Forms and ideas from this period were reused and transformed in the twelfth century, as represented here by sequences, tropes, Abelard's poetry, the gloss to Lamentations, and ritual representations or 'liturgical drama'. The two final chapters treat fourteenth-century uses and understandings of Boethius's De institutione musica and the new genre of sequence commentaries, both dealing with later medieval views on music theory and liturgical poetry from an earlier period, thus connecting the end of the book to its beginning. The sections are interspersed with philosophical reflections on overriding themes of the contributions. The volume concludes with an anthology of poetic texts in Latin with English translations and musical transcriptions.

A prized possession of the Cistercian convent of Marienbrunn in Rulle near Osnabruck in northern Germany was its richly illuminated gradual dating to c. 1300, which is of great significance in the history of medieval art for several reasons. With 52 historiated initials iconographically complex in their literary quotations from the liturgy, the manuscript ranks as one of the most lavishly decorated books of its type to survive. Painted in an elegant courtly Gothic style, it is ascribed in a prefatory inscription to the nun Gisela von Kersenbroeck, who wrote, notated, and decorated the manuscript "with golden letters and beautiful images." Such an encyclopedic listing of a scribe-artist's labors is unparalleled in medieval scribal colophons. The high quality of the miniatures ranks her among the most gifted women artists of the Middle Ages. Gisela is depicted in two self-portraits within the manuscript, in one of which she is leading the nuns of Rulle in singing the Christmas hymn, visual evidence that she was the choirmistress at this convent. The manuscript's images reflect the intellectual ambience of encloistered nuns who were steeped in the annual liturgical cycle of feasts with its associated bible readings, theological commentary, sermons, music, dramatic ritual, and artistic decoration. As it was used in the nuns' daily celebration of the mass, the book is an eloquent witness of the communal religious life of medieval women rather than their private meditations or mystical experiences.This study explores the imagery and texts associated with major feasts of the liturgical year and the novel ways in which music and text are woven into the artistic program of Gisela's manuscript. In particular, her book shows the seminal importance of the Easter celebration for convent life, as well over half of its illustrations are clustered in the Easter season; and the manuscript repeatedly gives artistic expression to the nuns' hopes of heaven.

This book explores the liturgical experience of emotions in Byzantium through the hymns of Romanos the Melodist, Andrew of Crete and Kassia. It reimagines the performance of their hymns during Great Lent and Holy Week in Constantinople. In doing so, it understands compunction as a liturgical emotion, intertwined with paradisal nostalgia, a desire for repentance and a wellspring of tears. For the faithful, liturgical emotions were embodied experiences that were enacted through sacred song and mystagogy. The three hymnographers chosen for this study span a period of nearly four centuries and had an important connection to Constantinople, which forms the topographical and liturgical nexus of the study. Their work also covers three distinct genres of hymnography: kontakion, kanon and sticheron idiomelon. Through these lenses of period, place and genre this study examines the affective performativity hymns and the Byzantine experience of compunction.

The biblical Psalms are, without doubt, a valuable source for Christian worship, but the vast text can prove daunting without direction. John D. Witvliet offers a solution with this brief but comprehensive survey of key theological themes, practical guidelines, and published resources related to the use of the Psalms.

Arranged in symphonic form with a "prelude" and "interludes," "The Biblical Psalms in Christian Worship" opens with a foundation of words about the Psalms from our wise church fathers, followed by a broad meditation on the basics of worship. Witvliet follows with an extensive tutorial on choosing a Psalm, engaging a congregation, deciding whether to speak or sing the text, and many other practical solutions for integrating Psalms into congregational worship for any generation.

By including both classroom exercises and a brief musical Psalm sampler as helpful appendices, Witvliet provides all the resources necessary to spark a renewed engagement with the Psalms in community and public worship. This will be an important text for pastors and worship leaders desiring to lead their congregations to renewal.

This is a board book for very young children explaining in simple text and illustration the events of the Mass in the Roman Catholic Church

From "What is a lectionary?" to "Why use a lectionary?," this accessible volume brings fresh life to a familiar topic. Written by Gail Ramshaw. Perfect for pastors, committees, and others leaders and planners.

Europe's commitment to the Holy Land and to the crusade was created and shaped through several modes of action, liturgy among them. Rites articulated the collective undertaking of thinking the idea of Jerusalem and experiencing it emotionally, they energized the faithful to raise armies and provide them with the sinews of war, accompanied the crusaders into battle, sung their victories, and lamented their defeats. And rites functioned as effective channels of information and propaganda, for knowledge imparted in church was endorsed with the stamp of ecclesiastical authority and received with due deference by a Christian society. Liturgy runs, therefore, throughout the entire history of the Jerusalem crusade. This monograph opens up a new and hitherto completely unexplored type of primary source material for the study of the Crusades: crusading liturgical texts. For the first time, evidence is offered of liturgical practices that heralded and prepared the way for the First Crusade, as well as those that celebrated its victory and the liturgical practices that were devised after the defeat of Hattin in 1187. The first part of this study presents a critical edition, based on the vast number of extant manuscripts, with textual variants, reflecting the evolution of given liturgical practices in various places and times. For liturgical ritual offered the best framework for educating and forming the minds of the faithful. The second part analyses the ideological content of the crusading liturgy, and the different roles played by the large cultural-political regions (England, France, Germany) and certain religious and political institutions (papacy, monastic orders and states). The openingchapters therefore deal with the Clamor pro Terra Sancta and the Missa pro Terra Sancta (and related liturgies, the Missa contra paganos and Missa contra Turchos), while the latter chapters deal with the 'Festivitas liberationis Hierusalem'.

Deepen your understanding of praise and worship with songwriter and worship leader Chris Tomlin and pastor Darren Whitehead as they explore seven ancient Hebrew words that will lead you to a closer relationship with God through praise.

In the ancient world, something extraordinary happened when God's people gathered to worship Him. It was more than just singing; it was a declaration, a proclamation, a time to fully embody praise to God for who He is and what he has done. In fact, in the Psalms, seven Hebrew words are translated into the English word praise, each of which represents a different aspect of what it means to truly praise God.

In Holy Roar, Chris Tomlin and Darren Whitehead share a fresh perspective from the worship practices of the ancient world. Grow in your understanding of praise as Darren offers unique insights. Be inspired as Chris shares how those insights take shape in the stories behind some of your favorite worship songs, including "How Great Is Our God," "We Fall Down," and "Good Good Father." Whether for your own personal use or for use in your church small group, Holy Roar provides insight and encouragement to deepen your practice of praise.

This service book is derived from the Great Book of Needs, and includes the full text, for both clergy and choir for the funeral service of a layperson. A space for special notes is included in the back of the book.

Pack of 10: 16-page easy-to-read booklet introducing everyone to the importance of prayer in our daily lives. What is prayer really all about? Have you ever wondered what prayer is about and why people bother? Maybe at times you've wanted to connect with God - but didn't know how? Everyone can pray. It's simply a conversation with God. So why not take a look at how prayer can be a part of your daily life?

The publication of the second edition of The Order of Celebrating Matrimony provides new liturgical and pastoral opportunities for presiders and parishes. In One Love, Fr. Paul Turner-one of the most reliable experts in Catholic liturgy today-provides sound guidance and instruction on the rite. Among the many important and practical topics he covers are: uses for the expanded introduction the engagement ceremony the location for the wedding the revised words for the questions, consent, and reception of consent the customs of the arras, the lazo, and the veil other wedding customs and more One Love promises to be the go-to liturgical resource on Catholic weddings for years to come.

First exclusively Episcopal prayer book for youth Perfect gift for teens at Christmas, confirmation, graduation, and birthdays Recent studies show teens want a language for articulation their faith and a means for being able to express their spirituality in prayer This prayer book designed for teens draws from the Book of Common Prayer, relevant prayers written by well known Episcopalians, and ancient prayers rooted in the Bible. New and original prayers are also offered, written by contemporary church leaders in the Episcopal Church, as well as by teens themselves, young adults and youth leaders. The book is structured in four parts: Daily Prayer. Including morning prayer, table blessings, and night time. Prayers for the Seasons of the Church Year. Blessing of a Christmas tree, prayer for Christ in my life for Easter, prayer for courage to share my faith, and more. Prayers for Daily Life. Before a special school event, before a sports event, before a test, being left out, bullying, dating, divorce, doubts, forgiveness, friendship, gratitude, grief, guidance, hope, motivation, peer pressure, pets, purpose, and more. Prayers for Important Events. Significant birthday, earning a driver's license, Confirmation, beginning the school year, starting high school, applying for college, graduating high school, going to college, joining the workforce. In paperbck version.

Written with special attention to Early Church, Reformation, and present day traditions, in Christian Liturgy Senn traces the story of Christian liturgy in light of the church's public rites. Senn's study focuses on liturgical practices that are catholic -- in continuity with the whole historic tradition -- and evangelical -- Gospel-centered in its forms of proclamation and celebration. Exploring the liturgy from an ecumenical perspective and context, the author uses a comparative studies approach to the liturgy, drawing on the insights of anthropology, biblical studies, general history, church history, historical theology, and musicology.

This unique new book records and celebrates the extraordinary wisdom and genius of Frederick William Dwelly, the first Dean of Liverpool. His creativity in the use of poetry, of music, of the commissioning of art, and in the use of the Great Space of Liverpool Cathedral set him apart from his peers and won huge admiration from all quarters. Above all, his liturgy was always centred around the value of the human being and he fostered worship that was dignified, imaginative and relevant for the thousands of people who attended services. Peter Kennerley's lively account of the work of a true master of liturgy is set in the context of the story of the cathedral itself, to create this highly readable, beautifully illustrated and fascinating volume.

Why do parish First Communion Masses so often neglect good liturgical principles? Should these celebrations resemble something analogous to a recital? Or, should they be celebrations worthy of the praise and glory of God? "First Communion Liturgies" explores the purpose and practice of First Communion in our time, uncovers the pitfalls associated with it, and offers a guide for preparing celebrations that will enrich the lives of children and families, bringing them into a deeper relationship with God and the church.