Critical Theories and Liturgical Studies

Convener: Gerald Liu, PhD (geraldcliu@gmail.com) is Director of Collegiate Ministries, Initiatives, and Belonging for the Global Board of Higher Education and Ministry of the United Methodist Church. He is an ordained United Methodist Elder of the Mississippi Annual Conference.

Members in Attendance: Tony Alonso, Kim Belcher, Steph Budwey, Cládio Carvalhaes, Ben Durheim, Hansol Goo, Sarah Johnson, Layla Karst, Gerald Liu, Kristine Suna-Koro, Ricky Manalo, kat Olson, Gabriel Pivarnik, Diana Sanchez-Bushong, Audrey Seah, Rebecca Spurrier, Lis Valle, Andrew Wymer

Visitors: Ken Amadi, Lisa Hancock, Tom McLean, C.J. Jones, J.J. Wright, John, Joshua Zentner-Barret

Description of Work: On day 1, we discussed liturgical inculturation in varied contexts such as the African continent and masses for the deaf and hearing impaired. We also attended to a dissertation chapter considering aspects of co-relation in homiletics building upon the work of George Herber Mead, another work discussing the role of Christian ritual in rural social ethics and identity formation, and an article considering the role of liturgy in an increasingly religiously disinterested 21st century. On day 2, we discussed readings from Mary Douglas to think about liturgy and crisis and an article discussing the ecumenical weight and attention to crisis of the Lund liturgy. We also dialogued about freedom within the Book of Common Prayer, transformations of material culture within the Roman Catholic Church, and a book about liturgical eco-theology.

Papers and Presentations:

• Audrey Seah, “Liturgical Inculturation: Then and Now.”

Layla Karst, respondent

• Kat Olson, Vanderbilt dissertation selection.

Ben Durheim, respondent

• Ben Durheim, “Rural Shibboleth: Social Ethics and Symbolic Depth in Rural America.”

Sarah Johnson, respondent

• Kristina Suna-Koro, “Is it a Tenebrae Moment Again?: On Crisis in Liturgical Theology as an Opportunity for Renewal.”

Ken Amadi, respondent

• Kim Belcher, “Readings from Mary Douglas (moderator); Ritual Techniques in Affliction Rites and the Lutheran-Catholic Ecumenical Liturgy of Lund, 2016.”

• Steph Budwey, “Performance of the Liturgy” in Oxford Handbook of the Book of Common Prayer.

Kristine Suna-Koro, respondent

• Tony Alonso [remotely], “On the Host in the Modern World.”

Gabriel Pivarnik, respondent

• Cláudio Carvalhaes, “Inventory, Metamorphoses and Emergenc(i)es: How Do We Become Green People and Earth Communities?”

Rebecca Spurrier, moderator

Other Work and Plans for the Future: Tentative plans for next year are to discuss rites of healing, affliction, rupture, and schism.