THCT607 - Liturgical Theology

Year

Credit points

Campus offering

Prerequisites

Teaching organisation

Unit rationale, description and aim

Christian theology is rooted and expressed most richly in the Church's liturgy. This unit explores the discipline of liturgical theology, which is the doing of theology from the perspective of the Church's rites, their texts and contexts (including word, symbol, ritual action, prayer, space/time and the liturgical arts). The ancient origins of liturgical theology will be explored, along with its re-emergence during the Liturgical Movement and its contemporary iterations within the ongoing process of liturgical renewal. Foundational works in the field will be studied alongside more recent approaches to doing liturgical theology. Particular rites of the Church will be analysed in light of historical and theological insights so that the inseparable nature of the Church's liturgical life and what it means to be Christian can be recognised, and so that the importance of preparing and celebrating liturgy well can be understood more fully.

Learning outcomes

To successfully complete this unit you will be able to demonstrate you have achieved the learning outcomes (LO) detailed in the below table.

Each outcome is informed by a number of graduate capabilities (GC) to ensure your work in this, and every unit, is part of a larger goal of graduating from ACU with the attributes of insight, empathy, imagination and impact.

Explore the graduate capabilities.

On successful completion of this unit, students should be able to:

LO1 - Demonstrate an understanding of the historical origins of liturgical theology (GA4)

LO2 - Use and understand the various sources of liturgical theology, including word, ritual, prayer, symbol, time/space, and liturgical arts (GA5)

LO3 - Analyse the Rite for Dedication of a Church (Prayer of Dedication + Anointing) from a liturgical-theological perspective (GA8)

LO4 - Identify and explain various ways of doing liturgical theology (GA 4, GA8)

LO5 - Articulate a liturgical theology of the Order of Christian Funerals (Funeral Liturgy outside Mass) utilising a specific methodology (GA 5, GA8)

LO6 - Demonstrate an understanding of the relevance of liturgical theology to the life of the Church and the Christian life (GA4)

Graduate attributes

GA4 - think critically and reflectively 

GA5 - demonstrate values, knowledge, skills and attitudes appropriate to the discipline and/or profession 

GA8 - locate, organise, analyse, synthesise and evaluate information 

Content

Topics will include:

• The origins and meaning of the principle lex orandi, lex credendi
• Ancient precursors to liturgical theology
• The re-emergence of liturgical theology during the Liturgical Movement
• The approach of foundational liturgical theologians
• Contemporary approaches to liturgical theology
• Texts and contexts for liturgical-theological analysis
• Word
• Symbol
• Prayer
• Ritual action
• Time/Space
• Music/Arts
• The Church’s rites as theological sources
• Theology of the liturgy
• Theology from the liturgy
• Implications of liturgical theology for liturgical life and practice
• The future of liturgical theology 

Learning and teaching strategy and rationale

This unit involves 150 hours of focused learning, or the equivalent of 10 hours per week for 15 weeks. The total includes formally structured learning activities including but not limited to online lectures and tutorials, forum discussions, other online learning, and Adobe Classroom sessions. Work for the unit also includes substantial individual preparation for each module and each assessment, including but not limited to reading, research, and writing.

Assessment strategy and rationale

A range of assessment procedures will be used to meet the unit learning outcomes and develop graduate attributes consistent with University assessment requirements. Such procedures may include, but are not limited to: essays, reports, examinations, student presentations or case studies. 

Overview of assessments

Representative texts and references

Fagerberg, David. Theologia Prima: What is Liturgical Theology. Chicago: Hillenbrand, 2012.

Irwin, Kevin. Context and Text: Method in Liturgical Theology. Second Edition. Collegeville: Liturgical, 2017.

_____. The Sacraments: Historical Foundations and Liturgical Theology. New York: Paulist, 2016.

Kavanagh, Aidan. On Liturgical Theology. Collegeville: Liturgical, 1984.

Kelleher, Margaret Mary. “Liturgical Theology: A Task and a Method” Worship 62 (1988): 2-25.

Lathrop, Gordon. Holy Things: A Liturgical Theology. Minneapolis: Fortress, 1993.

Saliers, Donald. Worship as Theology: Foretaste of Glory Divine. Nashville: Abingdon, 1994.

Schmemann, Alexander. Introduction to Liturgical Theology. Crestwood: St Vladimir’s, 1966.

Vincie, Catherine. Celebrating Divine Mystery: A Primer in Liturgical Theology. Collegeville: Liturgical/Michael Glazier, 2009.