Liturgical hermeneutics : interpreting liturgical rites in performance
This thesis applies the resources of philosophical hermeneutics, especially as represented in the work of Paul Ricoeur and Hans-Georg Gadamer, to the project of interpreting liturgy as simultaneously text and performance. The result is a new field, defined as liturgical hermeneutics. The research breaks away from attempts to find objective meaning in liturgy. Through readings of Church of England forms of the eucharist, baptism and burial it argues that meaning happens when worshippers appropriate the promise of the Kingdom of God which liturgical rites propose. Such acts of appropriation occur when worshippers find themselves in a threshold position with respect to the Kingdom. From here, they can make their own the promises enshrined in the biblical tradition and transmitted through liturgical action, by an act of faith. The result is a reconfiguration of the worshipper's subjectivity, or a new mode-of-being-in- the-world, conditioned by his or her claim to citizenship of the Kingdom. The notion of liturgy as a practice raises the questions of intentionality and repeatability in ritual. I have pursued these topics with reference, initially, to J.L. Austinâs theory of speech acts. The deficiencies in Austin's
Nichols, Bridget
Philosophy
Liturgical hermeneutics : interpreting liturgical rites in performance. This thesis applies the resources of philosophical hermeneutics, especially as represented in the work of Paul Ricoeur and Hans-Georg Gadamer, to the project of interpreting liturgy as simultaneously text and performance. The result is a new field, defined as liturgical hermeneutics. The research breaks away from attempts to find objective meaning in liturgy. Through readings of Church of England forms of the eucharist, baptism and burial it argues that meaning happens when worshippers appropriate the promise of the Kingdom of God which liturgical rites propose. Such acts of appropriation occur when worshippers find themselves in a threshold position with respect to the Kingdom. From here, they can make their own the promises enshrined in the biblical tradition and transmitted through liturgical action, by an act of faith. The result is a reconfiguration of the worshipper's subjectivity, or a new mode-of-being-in- the-world, conditioned by his or her claim to citizenship of the Kingdom. The notion of liturgy as a practice raises the questions of intentionality and repeatability in ritual. I have pursued these topics with reference, initially, to J.L. Austinâs theory of speech acts. The deficiencies in Austin's
liturgical hermeneutics interpret liturgical rite performance applies resource philosophical_hermeneutics especially represent work paul_ricoeur hans_georg_gadamer project interpret liturgy simultaneously text performance new field define liturgical hermeneutics break away attempt objective meaning liturgy reading church_england form baptism burial argue mean happen appropriate promise kingdom_god liturgical rite propose act appropriation occur threshold position_respect kingdom make promise enshrine biblical tradition transmit liturgical action act faith reconfiguration subjectivity new mode being the world condition claim citizenship kingdom notion liturgy practice raise_question intentionality ritual pursue topic reference initially theory speech_act deficiency