Survey of the history of Christian rites in Eastern and Western traditions, from New Testament to the present using primary texts. Basic introduction to the methodologies of liturgical studies and to disciplines related to the study of worship.

The origins of rites of initiation and eucharist, East and West, and their historical development. Theological and doctrinal perspectives. Examination of the postconciliar Roman rite and its attendant documents, with some treatment of other Christian traditions. Issues in contemporary pastoral practice.

Through a critical reflection on the church's tradition of lex orandi, lex credendi, students will be introduced to the theory and practice of good liturgical celebration. Contemporary liturgical practice will be evaluated in its historical, cultural, and theological context. Students will learn how the historical development of Christian liturgy, its anthropological dimensions, and important church documents influence how we worship today

Introductory study of the nature of ritual, and the place of sacraments and rituals in the life journey of the Christian. Treatment of the rites of vocation (marriage, religious profession and holy orders), healing (reconciliation, anointing of the sick), and burial of the dead.

The interaction of time-keeping and faith in Christianity. Theology of Sunday, Easter and its seasons, Christmas-Epiphany and their seasons, with study of the prayers for the seasons and feasts in a variety of liturgical books and calendars today. Liturgical time and the rhythms of modern life.

The Liturgy of the Hours historically and theologically considered. An analysis of the origins and evolution of the Office in the patristic and medieval periods. Study of the reformed Roman Liturgy of the Hours and of daily prayer in other traditions.

The roots of Christian worship in symbol, language, and social dynamics. Theological reflection on the sacramental life in the Church. Contemporary approaches to a theology of sacrament especially in relation to Trinitarian, theology, Christology, Pneumatology, Christian anthropology, and ecclesiology. Cross-listed with DOCT 424.

Training in all aspects of liturgical presiding for those will lead worship as priests and deacons, including study of rubrics and directives in the relevant official documents. Use of gesture and voice to relate well to the assembly and to other liturgical ministers. Training in singing the ministerial chants in the liturgical books. For future priests, focus on celebrating Mass. For future deacons, focus on their role at Mass, as well as presiding at Sunday Celebrations in the Absence of a Priest and other rites such as baptism. For non-ordination candidates, Sunday Celebrations in Absence of a Priest, and other rites such as funeral vigils. Prerequisite: Introduction to Pastoral Liturgy.

Fundamental treatment of the nature of the liturgical assembly and the theological basis for sung congregational participation. Introduction to resources for all genres of congregational song – dialogues and chants; psalms, with emphasis on responsorial psalmody; service music and Mass settings; and hymns and songs, including historical survey of repertoire from various cultures. Principles of theological and liturgical appraisal of congregational repertoire.

Introduction to the interrelationship between liturgy, art and architecture. Exploration of how artists, architects and liturgists think about the worshiping community and its spaces from the perspective of their fields. Treatment of architectural process and tools, basic visual approaches, media and kinds of art found in a church, and basic knowledge of ritual space; also the church community and its traditions. Introduction to the Analysis Project in which a space is described by a participant-observer, involving analysis of a community, its worship, its existing space, ritual needs, and assessment of possibilities for revision.

Study of official church documents on the building and renovating of churches and chapels. Practical questions such as beginning the building/renovation project; engaging the entire congregation in the process from beginning to completion; finding competent architects and artists and working with them; commissioning art works; creating furnishings and appointment; attending to diversity in the community and its appropriate expression in art and architecture; accessibility; rituals for leave-taking of old spaces and dedication and blessing new and renovated spaces. Students will be able to prepare proposals for consultancy with a variety of communities.

Study of the history of the church’s use of art liturgically and for the sake of evangelization, including the church’s embrace of the arts as it emerged from a Jewish aniconic tradition; how the relationship between the church and art evolved over the centuries; the different forms of sacred art; the possible differences between sacred art, liturgical art and devotional art; and implications for the establishment and maintenance of art collections. Cross Listed with PTHM 441.

Sacred Architecture. Historical overview of sacred architecture with attention to the theology and practice of the worshipping community. Communalities between sacred architecture from varied faith traditions, with emphasis on the unique aspects of Christian architecture. Acoustics and lighting in relationship to their impact on the symbolic and practical functioning of a building. Varieties of American Christian religious architecture as reflections of traditions, exploring commonalities and differences. Cross listed with PTHM 443.

Independent, directed reading and research with weekly meetings with professor in one of three areas: historical liturgical sources; liturgical movement and liturgical renewal; art and architecture in worship.

Various topics offered. See schedule each semester for offerings.

Students study musical and liturgical theology, including the history of liturgical music; official documents; issues, problems, and positions in liturgical music practice; worship aid evaluation; presentation of music/liturgy plans. This course may be repeated for different topics/content with instructor’s permission.