John Wesley’s Liturgical Theology: His Sources, Unique Contributions and Synthetic PracticesSubmitted to the University of Manchester for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy2016Steve JohnsonAbstractJohn Wesley was an eighteenth century priest in the Church of England who was best known for his leadership of the Methodist movement. His ministry was filled with tension, as he sought to maintain his affinity for the worship of the Church of England while introducing liturgical innovations such as the watchnight, lovefeast, covenant renewal and preaching services. A question emerges: How did he hold these very diverse patterns of worship together? Why was it so important to him? What was it about his liturgical theology that encouraged and enabled him to lead the Methodists in both traditional and innovative liturgical patterns? Wesley refused to be confined to either his inherited liturgical practices or his innovative liturgies. This thesis seeks to offer a solution as to why. This thesis will assess Wesley’s liturgical texts in their historical and pastoral context in light of Wesley’s commitment to a ‘religion of the heart.’ Chapter one will seek to establish ‘heart religion’ and the restoration of the image of God as foundational for Wesley, and establish that this foundation was worked out through his liturgical theology and practice. With ‘heart religion’ or Wesley’s ‘affectional’ theology as a hermeneutical lens, this thesis will evaluate the sources, texts and contributions of each part of Wesley’s worship corpus, making specific reference to the way each aspect of Methodist worship contributed to the restoration of the Image of God in humanity. Wesley’s incorporation of the traditional liturgical resources of the Church of England, specifically the Book of Common Prayer, and his own adaptation of the BCP, the Sunday Service, will be examined in chapters two and three. Chapter four will explore Wesley’s own unique form of catechism, Instructions for Children, and its use in character formation. Largely unexplored, Wesley’s Instructions emerges as an integral piece of his liturgical theology. Chapter five will consider the watchnight, lovefeast, covenant and preaching services, specifically addressing how each service was developed and how it contributed to the formation and manifestation of Christian affections among the Methodists. Wesley’s ultimate goal in worship was the honouring of God and the edification of the Church. He believed that God was honoured when the Church was edified, and the church was best edified when God’s people began to manifest Christian affections such as love, joy, humility and gratefulness. When these affections were practiced consistently, they were habituated into holy tempers. This development of holy tempers was the objective of the Christian life for Wesley. This was the goal and purpose of John Wesley’s liturgical theology.

The lector priest (Xry-Hbt) - literally ‘he who carries the festival (papyrus) roll’- has been considered in previous studies to be one of several categories of the ancient Egyptian priesthood. There is a perception that he was responsible for the correct performance of rites, that he recited invocations during temple and state ritual, and that he carried out recitations and performed ritual actions during private apotropaic magic and funerary rites. Textual and iconographic evidence demonstrate his presence at rituals and frequently refer to the title of Xry-Hbt, but these sources do not provide an explicit explanation of his role. Previous treatments of the lector have rarely considered the full extent of his activities, either focusing on specific aspects of his work or making general comments about his role. This present study challenges this selective approach and explores his diverse functions in a wide ranging review of the relevant evidence. The lector is first attested during the 2nd Dynasty (c. 2890-2686 BC) and is predominately portrayed with an unrolled papyrus scroll in his hand, a broad strap from his shoulder across his chest, and is recognised throughout ancient Egypt history. The many titles that were appended to Xry-Hbt suggest a wide rang of functions and operating spheres from that of funerary workshop to particular temples and deities. The lector is closely associated with ‘magic’ where his knowledge of spells and performative ritual define him as a leading protagonist in this field. At funerary ceremonies his delivery of the ‘transfigurations’ enabled the deceased to become an akh, and in the Opening of the Mouth ceremony, along with the sem-priest, he would perform the rite of animation. In the temple he not only performed recitations and executed a variety of ritual actions but he directed ritual practices. He had a role in the royal palace as attested by titles such as ‘lector of the king’, and he is seldom absent from scenes representing the royal Sed-festival. The lector had an involvement in healing but less clear is the reason for his presence on the various mining expeditions that were a feature of Pharaonic Egypt. There is some limited evidence of his role sitting on legal assemblies, both temple-based and in the community. Much of the literature relating to ancient Egypt translates the Xry-Hbt title as ‘lector-priest’, but the evidence reviewed suggests him to be more of a ritualist rather than a ‘priest’. In contrast to the Hm-nTr and the wab-priest who served the gods and were associated primarily with temples - temple activity was merely one of the operating areas of the lector. Based upon a common definition of a priest as ‘one who is authorised or ordained to perform religious rites’, I suggest that the title of ‘lector priest’ incorrectly describes this officiant and a more appropriate definition would be limited to that of ‘lector’.

This thesis challenges existing preconceptions about the textual uniformity of the late medieval English Office liturgy. The received narrative is that all breviaries of the same liturgical Use are in large part identical. This study demonstrates that all complete, surviving manuscript breviaries and antiphonals of each secular liturgical Use of medieval England (dating from s.xiii – s.xvi) do share a common textual ‘fingerprint’ particular to each Use. But this is in large part restricted to the proper texts of universal or popular observances. Other features of these service books, even within the sources of the same Use, are subject to significant variation, influenced by local customs and hagiographical and textual priorities, and also by varying reception to liturgical prescriptions from ecclesiastical authorities. Distinct regional patterns, especially in the kalendar, are a principal result. Rubrics (giving details of ritual) and lessons (at Matins) in particular suggest that the manuscripts are witnesses to textual subfamilies, and that these represent succeeding stages of the promulgation of the major Uses across England. The identification of the characteristic features of each Use and the differentiation of regional patterns have resulted from treating each manuscript as a unique witness, a practice which is not common in liturgical studies, but one which gives the manuscripts greater value as historical sources. The unique character of each allows it to be situated in its temporal and intellectual context and indeed to illuminate that context. For instance, properties of individual manuscripts can be compared with other evidence for the prescription of liturgy in England in order to assess the efficacy of ecclesiastical orders of this nature. A descriptive catalogue of 115 manuscripts and transcriptions of their liturgical kalendars provide both a resource for further research and a proof of concept of the methodology.

The history of Catholicism is an essential component in the history of modern Ireland. As locations of a distinctively Catholic faith, Mass Rocks are important historical, ritual and counter-cultural sites. Their continued use reflects, and helps reconstruct and legitimise, contemporary Irish identity whilst providing a tangible and experiential connection to Irish heritage and tradition. The mythology surrounding Mass Rocks tends to symbolise the worst excesses of the ‘Penal Laws’. Yet, as Elliott (2000) has pointed out, the impact of the Penal Laws was short-lived and the worst was over by 1730 (Elliott 2000:170). Since the 1990s, most historians have rejected this traditional ‘penal’ paradigm with its subtext of a heroic but silenced Catholic nation (Dickson 2004:38). Yet, the Irish countryside remains littered with the Mass Rocks that were used throughout this period and they are still considered to be special and sacred places. Using a framework of sacred space this research provides an original and important vista on this topic. An examination of their geographical distribution has yielded some surprising concentrations and absences in certain areas. The actual locations of these sites have proved equally intriguing since few appear to conform to the mythical, secluded, upland sanctuaries depicted in early and mid-twentieth century history textbooks and more recently on ‘republican’ murals. This research does not attempt to assess the implementation, success or failure of the Penal Laws. However, it does provide one of the most thorough syntheses of available information in respect to Mass Rocks at a diocesan level and therefore provides a valuable resource that will help widen knowledge of this emotive and often misunderstood period. Research has been based in the diocese of Cork and Ross, county Cork. The parish of Uíbh Laoghaire or Iveleary, the county of Cineal Laoghaire or O’Leary, is located within this diocese and is relatively rich in Mass Rock sites. The parish of ‘Inshiguilah’ or Inchigeelagh is referenced within the Report on the State of Popery of 1731 along with adjoining parishes. Its sound pedigree in terms of its historical, geographical and cultural background made it an excellent candidate for a case study. It offered a valuable opportunity to apply the conceptual framework of sacred space to a specific parish within the research area in order to evaluate the validity of the research findings. Although much has been written about the Penal era, the study of Mass Rocks is a neglected area of study and it is hoped that these results will help to frame Eighteenth-century Irish Catholicism within a broader economic, social, cultural and political context.

No description available.

The Apostolos is a corpus of manuscripts containing New Testament and liturgical material. For Byzantines it was the primary form in which the Acts and Epistles were received as Scripture. Lectionary studies were almost abandoned after the mid-twentieth century, and the recent revival of interest in the Greek Lectionary has concentrated exclusively on the Gospel Lectionary. The last study of the Apostolos is five decades old and reflects the methodologies of another era. Building upon the work of recent Lectionary scholarship this thesis takes a new approach to the Apostolos, analysing New Testament and liturgical textual traditions together. The text of Acts and the Pauline corpus as transmitted in the Lectionary is compared with the continuous text. It is shown that one Apostolos witness is not usually copied to another and that consequently there is no ‘Lectionary text’ of Acts and Paul. Instead, Apostolos copies reflect textual variation in the evolving Byzantine tradition. Digital methods allow the present thesis to explore groupings among Apostolos manuscripts combined with detailed attention to the contents of each codex. This study concentrates on the Apostolos in its scribal, monastic, liturgical, and theological context as well as in light of other manuscript traditions.

Why this study now? As the Catholic Church advances through the twenty first century it continues to be deeply influenced by the great legacy of its previous pontiff Pope John Paul II (1920- 2005). This legacy includes his championing of a new evangelisation; the pivotal role that he gave to catechesis in this process and his desire to eliminate unacceptable departures from liturgical norms. Recalling his own words at the Congress of Liturgical Commissions (1984) Pope John Paul II stated: In the work of liturgical renewal, desired by the Council, it is necessary to keep in mind "with great balance the part of God and the part of man, the hierarchy and the faithful, tradition and progress, the law and adaptation, the individual and the community, silence and choral praise. Thus the Liturgy on earth will fuse with that of heaven, where ... it will form one choir ... to praise with one voice the Father through Jesus Christ" (Vicesimus Quintus Annos #23). The words of Pope John Paul II call for a liturgical perspective which is characterised by moderation and an appreciation of the eschatological dimension of the sacred liturgy. Through his liturgical writings, Pope John Paul II sought to be a corrective voice in trying to ensure universal fidelity to the liturgical law. This is exemplified in his exposition of the centrality of the Eucharist in the life of the Church in Ecclesia de Eucharistia (2003), a work that was intended to remedy the liturgical ‘abuses’ that had become apparent in the Church’s worship. It is acknowledged here that the word ‘abuse’ carries connotations associated with offenses of a moral nature. Turner (2012), expresses caution about an overuse of the word ‘abuses’ in the context of how the Church prays and the manner in which the sacred mysteries are celebrated (p,169). In this discussion on the liturgy (and throughout this thesis) the word ‘abuse’ is applied in a technical manner to describe 2 significant departures from liturgical norms which falsify and damage the Church’s liturgy as well as the tradition and authority of the Church in relation to public worship 1 In Ecclesia de Eucharistia Pope John Paul II recognises the positive signs of Eucharistic faith and then he refers to “the shadows” (#10) identifying these as the abandonment of Eucharistic adoration and also those unorthodox liturgical practices which resulted in confusion and a weakened understanding of liturgy: It is my hope that the present Encyclical Letter will effectively help to banish the dark clouds of unacceptable doctrine and practice, so that the Eucharist will continue to shine forth in all its radiant mystery (#10). Redemptionis Sacramentum seeks to develop a deeper appreciation of the value of liturgical norms so that the whole Church, Bishops, Priests, Deacons and lay faithful can carry them out according to their responsibility. There is also recognition of a clear link between the liturgy of the Church and its faith and the use of unapproved rites, texts or practices damages this link. The use of the word ‘banish’ in the words cited above is interesting since it denotes a dramatic and immediate attempt to dispel rather than a gradual elimination or negotiation. This communicates the urgency and the level of concern about the unacceptable practices that have obscured the Eucharistic celebration. In Spiritus et Sponsa (2003), in observance of the fortieth anniversary of Sacrosanctum Concilium, Pope John Paul II reflects on the degree to 1 The Instruction from the Sacred Congregation for Divine Worship Redemptionis Sacramentum (2004) states: “Certainly the liturgical reform inaugurated by the Council has greatly contributed to a more conscious, active and fruitful participation in the Holy Sacrifice of the Altar on the part of the faithful” (#4). Even so, “shadows are not lacking”(10). In this regard it is not possible to be silent about the abuses, even quite grave ones, against the nature of the Liturgy and the Sacraments as well as the tradition and the authority of the Church, which in our day not infrequently plague liturgical celebrations in one ecclesial environment or another (11). Whenever an abuse is committed in the celebration of the sacred Liturgy, it is to be seen as a real falsification of Catholic Liturgy (171). Among the various abuses there are some which are objectively graviora delicta or otherwise constitute grave matters, as well as others which are nonetheless to be carefully avoided and corrected. 3 which the spirit and liturgical mandate outlined in Sacrosanctum Concilium has been implemented by the Church. Pope John Paul’s "chirograph" on sacred music, in observance of the 100th anniversary of Pope Saint Pius X's document on the same subject, Tra le sollecitudini (1903), was also intended “to offer the Church practical guidelines in that vital section of the liturgy…presenting a juridical code of sacred music” (#1) In all of these writings his deep concern for the sacred liturgy is clearly evident. Pope John Paul II’s successor to the See of Peter, Pope Benedict XVI (Joseph Ratzinger), has continued and developed this focus on the centrality of the liturgy in the life of the Church, although he has approached the matter from a different perspective. Benedict is a prolific writer on liturgical matters and the dominant focus of his work on the liturgy is to establish an understanding of its objective nature. As the current pontiff he is leading the Church into the twenty first century during what is a challenging and also a privileged time. The English speaking world is both cautiously and eagerly undertaking the implementation of the new translation of the Roman Missal (Advent 2011) - a process which will continue to require significant and sustained programmes of Liturgical Formation and Liturgical Catechesis over several years. At this stage in its history the Catholic Church faces various other concurrent pastoral and liturgical challenges in terms of dwindling congregations, a diminishing number of priests and what some perceive to be a widening of the perceived gap between the Church and people in the context of a dramatically changed social landscape (Taylor 2007, p513-516). Despite these massive societal and ecclesial changes and their sometimes pernicious effects, (or perhaps because of them), there is also a sense that the Church is entering a vital and exciting era in liturgical and catechetical development. 4 The major themes of this thesis are ‘Church’, ‘Liturgy’ and ‘Catechesis’ from which an associated secondary theme of Liturgical Formation emerged. Part of the discussion will explore the relationship between these various elements. The current relevance of this study comes from three main sources. Firstly, the Pontificate of Pope Benedict XVI is signalling a new phase in the life of the Roman Catholic Church where sociological influences, ecclesial concerns, catechetical endeavour and a liturgical agenda are meeting and interacting. His pontificate is producing a creative synthesis leading the Church into a new stage in the organic development of the sacred liturgy and the result is prolific liturgical homilies and writings. Pope Benedict XVI’s papacy is characterised by a desire to ensure a deeper understanding of the essence of liturgy coupled with a leadership which demonstrates a reforming zeal for the sacred liturgy. At the centre of the pontiff’s vision to restore the liturgy (as expressed in The Spirit of the Liturgy), is a belief that a deeper understanding of, and fidelity to, its objective nature, will help to restore reverence and beauty in the celebration of sacred rites (2000, p9). He also insists on fidelity to the authentic vision of liturgical renewal expressed by the Fathers of the Second Vatican Council (2000, p, 8; p,171).

The manuscript Eg.3511 which contains a missal and kalendar written in the early twelfth century for the nunnery of S. Pietro in Benevento was bought by the British Museum in 1947. Until c. 1940 the missal had almost certainly been in the Biblioteca Capitolare at Benevento (ms.no.VI 29). The contents of the kalendar, which is rich in cults of local significance, reveal the intentions of the Beneventan princes to direct the religious sentiments of their subjects towards the capital, and thus to give some unity to their state. They underline also the importance of the city of Benevento as the link between the east and west of the Italian peninsula - between Byzantium and Rome. Comparison with other documents written in the principality of Benevento between the eighth and thirteenth centuries shows that the missal belongs to a definite liturgical type. A type which was derived from documents received from Rome in the mid-eighth century, before the Carolingian rulers adopted the policy of liturgical conformity with Rome. The Roman documents were altered slightly and adapted to the needs of the Beneventan Church. This new Romano-Beneventan use began its career at Montecassino and gradually ousted a more ancient liturgy, spreading as far east as Bari - and even to Dubrovnik on the coast of Yugoslavia. The conquest of the principality by the Normans in the eleventh century opened the Beneventan church to the liturgical developments which had taken place in north-west France, Norman priests brought to the south their own ordines for the celebration of mass, and added a large number of saints to the Sanctoral, but appear to have made few other changes to the books which they found in the former principality of Benevento. Thus the Romano-Beneventan use, which from the middle of the eighth century had developed in isolation from the liturgy of the rest of western Europe, continued to be the use of this region down to the thirteenth century.

This thesis adds a new contribution to the field of empirical theology pertaining to nominalism. The thesis explores the belonging, beliefs and practice of nominal Irish Anglicans. It seeks to unearth the reasons they give for their identification with the Church of Ireland. The method used in the exploration is primarily quantitative with a brief qualitative element. The instrument employed is a questionnaire, based on the template employed by Richter and Francis and Francis and Richter on church-leaving. The thesis opens by introducing the Church of Ireland in the religious context of Ireland. The frame is widened to Europe, before examining the literature surrounding the debate on nominalism. A method is outlined to locate nominal Irish Anglicans in order to obtain and analyse their views as to their belonging, belief and practice. There follows an empirical analysis to explore the beliefs of nominal Irish Anglicans and the reasons they give for reducing their church attendance. The analysis is thematic, following the pattern used by and the earlier work of Richter and Francis (1998), Francis, Robbins and Astley (2005) and Francis and Richter (2007). This thesis concludes by offering a summary of the findings before providing an explanation as to why nominal Irish Anglicans continue their identification with the Church of Ireland. It suggests how some of the discoveries may shape future research. The thesis ends by considering the implication of the results for the Church of Ireland.

In response to the current crisis in liberal catholic Anglicanism, this thesis explores and affirms the continuing value and transformational potential of contemporary sacramental ministry exercised by priests in this tradition. Through the lens of vivid, ‘electric moment’ stories - moments in priestly ministry when the presence of God was understood by one or both of the participants to be palpable - seven priests reflect in research interviews on their practice and in dialogue with the researcher articulate what they think they are doing in ministry. Without the trappings of the organisational church, the ministry of these priests is held up for scrutiny and evaluated as a transformative practice. A thematic analysis of the interview material follows which demonstrates that the ministry of these priests conforms to, and is rooted in, the traditional pattern of sacramental ministry, but in a modern way. I call this ‘sacramental improvisation’, a form of ministry that can make God’s action in the world intelligible to unchurched people today. According to my argument, this would depend upon the willingness of priests to be less reticent about speaking of God and then finding ways to do so that both retain the mystery, and at the same time make religious faith more accessible. The research process introduced priests to a reflexive way of thinking: a way to think outwards from experience, with freedom to think new thoughts. This was a creative process for priests and, in itself, transformational - it modelled a process of giving close attention, interpreting and working through. The thesis concludes that these methods could inspire new forms of support for clergy and theological education in the future and be especially beneficial to liberal catholic Anglican priests.