Ritual Theory and Performance
Convener
Tom Splain
Pontifica
Universita Gregoriana
Roma, 00187
Italy
Splain@Hawaii.edu
2006 Agenda
In San Diego, the Ritual Theory and Performance Group plans to continue with the explorations we undertook in 2004 and 2005. We will return to the same three areas for updates and continued conversation. These three areas are:
- How the structure and neurochemical processes in the brain affect our perceptions and practice of ritual.
- Our ongoing empirical research on what people actually experience in ritual moments. The University of Nimegen has a department that regularly uses interviews, questionnaires and surveys to explore this topic. One of our members is on the faculty at Nimegen and during this year, thee other members have visited the university to consult. One member will be using these methodologies to do similar research in California.
- The place of the creative and artistic in liturgy. Our work here flows out of a group of artists and parishioners who regularly meet in New York City to explore what they each experience in ritual moments.