Liturgical Language
2004 New York, New York
2005 | 2004 | 2003
Convener 2004
Melinda Quivik (visitation pastor, Christ Church Lutheran, Minneapolis, Minnesota and adjunct professor, Trinity Lutheran Seminary, Columbus, Ohio)
Seminar Participants 2004
Seminar members: Gabe Huck, Melinda Quivik, Gail Ramshaw, Marit Rong, Lawrence Stookey, Robin Knowles Wallace, Brian Wren
Visitors: Tony Alonso, Barrington Bates, Sidney Fowler
Seminar Report 2004
We met on Sunday and Monday for the full amount of time allowed the seminars. We discussed four papers and two verbal reports: one on denominational language issues, the other on ritual experiences at Ground Zero. On Monday we gathered at the piano for two presentations which required singing newly composed texts for hymns and processionals.
Papers
Barrington Bates: Reflections on Ritual at Ground Zero
Following the NAAL “Ritual Response to Evil” event at St. Paul’s Church near the former World Trade Towers, Bates described his experiences as a chaplain during the recovery of bodies and body parts. Focus on the two requirements for absolution and commendation led to a discussion on such topics as what, exactly, it means to “commend a knuckle” and Bates’ response, at last, that the chaplains were called to “do a thing before we asked the purpose,” trusting that God had already accepted the dead.
Sidney Fowler: Reflections on UCC language issues
Given calls in the United Church of Christ in recent years for changes in liturgical language, Fowler reported on the process currently being undergone by the UCC to explore how their churches are, in fact, using language and in what ways language can be understood to be most foundational.
Gail Ramshaw: “Praying on Trinity Sunday: A Discussion Paper considering the Collect”
Using the Prayer of the Day for one Sunday in the liturgical year, Ramshaw described the history of what has also been known as the “collect,” the problems arising from its diverse constructions, asking several questions: To whom is it really addressed? Ought it echo traditional language? Should the vocabulary derive from scripture, theology, tradition, or imagination?
Marit Rong: “Metaphors and Models in the Main Service in the Church of Norway”
This paper dissects, as the title reflects, the metaphors and models currently in use in the normative Sunday liturgy in Norwegian Lutheran churches. Rong’s work demonstrated the limitations of the metaphors in use, arguing that a broader scope of images would well serve the church.
Lawrence Stookey: “From Liturgical Text to Liturgy”
In an engaging and light-hearted manner, Stookey described the difficulties seminarians have moving from liturgical text to presiding. He explained how the instructor might attend to common misconceptions or assumptions about learning the task of presiding.
Brian Wren: “Changing the Words of Hymns”
This paper explained Wren’s core convictions about altering existing hymn texts including basic themes, principles for language-change, and the author’s writing and re-writing process.
Texts & tunes
Gabe Huck and Tony Alonso: “New Gathering Songs, Verses, and Sung Intercessions for Seasonal Use”
For their Evanston, Illinois congregation Huck and Alonso have written texts and tunes for several liturgical seasons. The seminar sang these liturgical pieces and discussed their language and use.
Brian Wren: “New Hymns—Selections from Christ Our Hope”
We sang and dissected several Wren texts for hymns to be published in March, 2004.