NAAL – Day Three, Sunday

This morning included breakfast together and the Berakah resp0nse from Louis Weil. Louis entitled his address “The Invitation to Move to a Larger Room” and framed his long, illustrious, and influential career with 4 moments or doorways when he was invited into a ‘larger room’ that expanded his understanding and experience. The first such invitation occurred just after seminary. He had taken his first position in Puerto Rico, a three year assignment. The better his Spanish became, the more he realized the inadequacy of liturgy and music materials available in Spanish. When a new Spanish hymnal was produced that was predominantly literal, clunky translations of English and American hymns, with no regard to Spanish culture or nuance of language, he realized that there was something more at hand. Inculturation issues became the first larger room for Louis. He confessed to a room of liturgical scholars that he originally had no desire or interest in studying liturgy for graduate work, and, yet, it was a suggestion from then-doctoral student at GTS Thomas Talley “Why don’t you study liturgy? It brings together all the things you love” that opened a new doorway for him. The second room, discovered at the Institut Catholique de Paris, was authentic liturgical scholarship, which set him on the course that would shape his professional life. The third ‘larger room’ that he was invited to move into was the idea of women’s ordination, which he opposed at first, in the early ’70s. In fact, he spent a great deal of time researching it to be able to formally set it aside. His research did not lead to that conclusion, however. Yet it was a conversation with a woman in Iowa in the late 1970s (after the formal approval of women’s ordination in the Episcopal Church) that he was able to enter this room. Discussing with this priest who was also a woman matters of ministry and discernment, he realized that he was having the same sort of conversation that he had had with many young men at the beginning of their preistly ministry – he realized both intellectually and experientially that this was the leading of the Spirit, as he said, though it cost him friends and colleagues, especially among Anglo-Catholics. But there were some among his Anglo-Catholic colleagues who joined him in entering that room, so he also realized he was not alone. The last ‘invitation to move to a larger room’ in Louis’ address was around issues of human sexuality in the Episcopal Church. He related that, in 1976, the General Convention passed a resolution that declared “homosexual persons are children of God who have a full and equal claim with all other persons upon the love, acceptance and pastoral concern and care of the Church.” Louis’ summary of the work since that time was that we are still trying to work out how to do that and what that means. He spoke of the most recent work of the Standing Commission on Liturgy and Music, to be presented this summer at General Convention, that has gathered theological and liturgical resources for same-gender blessings. The focal moment of moving into that larger room came at a gathering with gay and lesbian people from all over New England, who gave testimony to their lives and their love for the Church and their great desire that the Church could bless them in their real lives rather than their closeted lives. This authenticity and clear devotion to the life of the church was part of his invitation to that larger room.

It’s important, I think, to note that this interfaith academy includes churches and faith traditions that are all over the map on these latter two issues. While I think most liturgists nodded easily about the value of inculturation and authentic liturgical scholarship, many are in traditions that oppose the ordination of women (or refuse even to talk about it) much less to have 35 years of work and conversation on issues of human sexuality. His presentation was gracious and modest, making no claims for anyone else, but simply noting where his own life and work had grown through interaction with others. It was a good address. We concluded the meeting with a liturgy (of course) and will convene again next January in Albuquerque, NM.

NAAL – Day Two, Saturday

Morning worship was according to a Byzantine rite this a.m.  Unfortunately, I had to choose between it and (free) breakfast.  The spirit is willing, but the flesh was hungry.  Alas.  I think almost all the Episcopalians were at breakfast with me; not sure what that means exactly.

After the (byzantine) breakfast, seminar groups reconvened for an hour.  Gordon Lathrop presented on a new publication of his The Four Gospels on Sunday which takes very seriously the liturgical impact of the Gospels read in the liturgy.  Lathrop’s basic argument, as I understand it, is that the Gospels are liturgical documents in their very genre and that this aspect should not be overlooked.  The Presence of Christ through the proclamation of the Gospel becomes a very significant moment in the liturgy (recognized in the assembly’s cry “Glory to you, O Lord” and “Praise to you, O Lord” before and after the reading from the text.  Promises to be a good and thorough read.

After this session, the Academy provided scheduled tours of several local churches, though I used that time to catch up on some reading and finish preparing for my presentation in the afternoon.  At lunch, “sidebars” were available, including serving on the local committee for next year’s meeting in Albuquerque, NM, which I tried to attend.  “Tried” since no one else really seemed to show up but the convener and me.  I know I’m not local to Albuquerque, but no one else is either and I’m a whole lot closer than most of the Academy — really not about being on the ground, but able to find out information and coordinate planning for the meeting.  I enjoyed being on the Baltimore local committee a few years ago when we lived there, so figured I’d offer.

The afternoon seminar meeting was our concluding meeting.  Bill Johnston presented a paper on the heavenly liturgy and its connection to the earthly liturgy and essentially tried to imagine what difference it might make if folks began to expect the liturgy to give that double-vision experience of heaven on earth, or at least that foretaste of the heavenly liturgy.  I then presented my work-in-progress, which is a chapter of my dissertation that argues for ‘eucharistic intimacy’ as an alternative way of describing the encounter with Christ and the assembly in the Eucharist.  I received great feedback from my seminar colleagues and many suggestions of materials/authors I may want to explore.  The connotation many made with that metaphor was to slip, fairly enough, into the erotic dimension of intimacy, longing, desire – some of which I addressed in my essay, but that is such a more complex set of images and ideas that I may need to find another direction to go.  At the heart of this for me is the idea of finding a relational, intersubjective way of talking about how we meet Christ in the Eucharist, without resorting to terms that are strongly spatial and material, rooted in a two-story universe (i.e., ‘real presence’ and the Aristotelian world-view that produced it).

Our seminar concluded with a transition in leadership and plans laid for next year.  Final decisions regarding papers presented and books read will be made in the next few months.  After a lovely coffee break, the Academy business meeting convened and accepted new members, elected officers, and heard reports.  This evening, we will sit down for our banquet and the Berakah award will be formally presented to this year’s winner, Louis Weil (here’s a sermon of his from last year, just for fun).

NAAL – Day One, Friday

Though I missed the Ecology based morning worship (complete with bird sounds and rain sticks), alas, I did arrive in time for the introduction of the new candidates for membership (19) and nominees for officers, all to be voted on at the business meeting on Saturday.  The main event for the morning of the first full day is always the Vice-President’s address.  Craig Satterlee (here’s his blog) gave a very good address regarding being a good liturgical host and guest — specifically examining NAAL liturgies and how critical (apparently it’s not just me) members can be of these occasions.  The take-away line for me was something like “We (NAAL folks) don’t come as guests to the meal; we show up like food critics to the restaurant.”  It was a good reflection generally about how we strive to welcome the outsider in worship (or be welcomed when we are the guest), but especially with the focus on this community’s own practices.

The President noted that we have no Academy members in the Albuquerque area (where next year’s meeting will take place) and asked for non-local volunteers to help plan and carry out the meeting.  This ought to be interesting . . .

After the plenary session, we all dived into our seminar groups and I was off to Liturgical Theology, which has about 24 members present this year.  After introductory matter, we began discussion of our primary text for this year: Anscar Chupungco’s What, then, is Liturgy?.  Two of our members offered prepared responses and then opened it up to the seminar generally.  Much of the conversation reflected on the immediate context within Roman Catholicism of the implementation of the new mass translation and the shift from dynamic equivalence as a principle for liturgical language to a formal correspondence, or more literal translation.  One of the key issues for someone like Chupungco is, of course, inculturation.

After a lunch break (quick! read another paper!), we gathered and finished our general conversation on Chupungco and moved on to our first paper from a participant.  Melanie Ross presented an interesting paper on attempting to articulate a positive approach to evangelical worship practices within liturgical theology.  Nathan Jennings offered a paper which centered his approach to liturgical theology as a biblical theology, provoking a very robust conversation about his work and the larger implications, especially regarding issues of supercessionism and the role of analogy and metaphor.  The 39 articles were invoked along the way . . .

The evening liturgy was an Epiphany service at the Chapel of the Sacred Heart of Notre Dame Basilica.  The chapel itself is an interesting mix of old and new, with a new shell built around an older space (due to a fire in 1978).  See the picture below for an idea.  Sadly, the Basilica itself was closed this evening.  The service included quite a lot of music and chant.  My only ‘inhospitable’ comment might be that this liturgy, like most NAAL liturgies, tried to do too much in one service.  A brisk walk through the cold with 2 friends to find supper finally landed us in a nice little French restaurant.  Great supper.  On our way back, we were peremptorily summoned via text by the Lord Bishop of Atlanta (one of my colleagues is in his diocese) to join him and others at the hotel bar.  I assured him that my bishop, the Bishop of Dallas, describes Dallas as a sovereign diocese, so he had no power over me.  However, he offered a round of drinks, so we stayed and enjoyed a good conversation to round out the evening.

Back to the room to prepare further on my presentation, which occurs Saturday afternoon.

NAAL – Opening Worship, Thursday Evening

Our worship to open the Conference, once our denominational pre-meetings were completed, took place at the Anglican Cathedral, just a few blocks away.  Christ Church Cathedral is a beautiful space and right in the midst of downtown.  They were merely the hosts, however, and the liturgy was according to the Academy’s design.  As I’ve mentioned in previous blog posts, doing liturgy together at a conference of liturgy scholars is not always an easy or comfortable thing.  Tonight’s service was simple and yet maintained the necessity of Jewish/Christian interfaith language without being overly artificial.  The music was suitable – the sung intercessions were very nicely done and it was a treat hearing the organ come in for the concluding hymn – a fine instrument.  And, then, back into the cold to find our way to the President’s reception where everything appeared to be made of maple or at least maple flavored.

NAAL – Anglican Colloquium Pre-Meeting, Afternoon session

After a quick lunch of poutine in the subterranean mall, we gathered again to hear from Neil Alexander (the Bishop of Atlanta as well as a liturgical scholar present information about the Liturgical Education of New Bishops.  He discussed the College of Bishops formed in 1994, and its several permutations since, as one way that the Episcopal Church has responded to the need to form those newly ordained to the episcopate.  Over the years, bishops from other provinces have also attended, such as Canada and Scotland.  Generally, this formation has been very successful and has been, in his words, transformative for the House of Bishops.  The liturgical component includes a practical Q & A session (What to do with hats and sticks and the like) and then half of a day on Initiation rites and half of a day on Ordination rites.  Part of the challenge is that, even though many of these new bishops may have learned where the church is post-1979 on these matters, there is often a gap in practical knowledge or clarity in implementing the current liturgies and the canons that support them.  An open conversation began afterwards about what the implications of such formation are and where it ought to go from here.

The Colloquium concluded with a consensus agreeing to meet jointly with the Lutheran Church (ELCA and ELCC) during next year’s pre-meeting and that some scholarly work perhaps should be undertaken during this pre-meeting rather than the current model of information sharing and conversation.

NAAL – Anglican Colloquium Pre-Meeting, Morning Session

Before the North American Academy of Liturgy (NAAL) begins, denominational groups gather for a pre-meeting.

The session began with worship drawn from new options for an alternative Daily Office, being proposed by the Standing Commission on Liturgy and Music.  This is a simplified form that is a fixed structure with content varying for each season.  These rites provide for the 8 monastic hours.  This proposed set of offices would be supplemental to the BCP forms.

The first session contained reports from external bodies.  The International Anglican Liturgical Consultation met last summer at Canterbury with a focus on Marriage.  A consultation within the consultation on the current work on same-gender blessings prepared by the SCLM for General Convention 2012 was also held.  Societas Liturgica, an international society for liturgical study and renewal, met in Rheims last summer as well, with a focus on Baptism: Rites and Christian Life.  Their summary document can be found here.   A screening of the film Flow, dealing with the world water situation, provided a concrete concern at the heart of baptismal symbology.  Societas Liturgica meets next in Warzburg in 2013.

After a brief coffee break in the subterranean mall underneath the conference hotel, we reconvened to hear from the English Language Liturgical Consultation (ELLC) and the Consultation on Common Texts (CCT).  Both described meetings deeply affected by the transition in the Roman Catholic Church to its new text for the Mass, essentially removing that tradition from active participation in this ongoing work to find Common Texts for all Christians in both worship and lectionary.  The CCT is working on a commentary on the Revised Common Lectionary.  We had a presentation by the newly organized Liturgy Task Force of the Anglican Church of Canada which is charged with catching up the ACC on multiple updates needed over the years.  Their approach is to begin the work toward revising the contemporary texts of the Book of Alternative Services, which came out in 1985.  Additionally, they are also beginning work on a Hymnal Supplement to the 1988 Common Praise hymnal.

Ruth Meyers, chair of the Standing Commission on Liturgy and Music, gave a summary of their work this last year – which contains a remarkable array.  The SCLM’s basic information and membership may be found here and their blog is here.  The SCLM is at the point of making recommendations to General Convention 2012, preparing for the Blue Book to be published later this spring.  In response to a resolution from 2009 GC, the commission has developed Liturgical Resources I: I Will Bless You, and You Will Be a Blessing.  This document will contain a theological essay, a liturgical rite, pastoral resources, a study guide and a history of the Episcopal Church’s approach to this issue since 1976.  Much information related to this topic can be found in the two links above. The SCLM proposes commending this document and offering it as a study resource, to authorize trial use of the liturgy, to call for a review process going forward, and to continue the “general pastoral response” from the 2009 GC.  On a larger scale, they propose an ad hoc task force to study marriage more comprehensively.  While these issues will dominate church press and blog conversation, the SCLM is also proposing a second three-year trial use for Holy Women, Holy Men, while adding proposed new commemorations.  These new commemorations are: March 28 – James Solomon Russell, April 17 – Emily Cooper, May 15 – Junia and Andronicus, July 1 – Pauli Murray, July 29 – First Ordination of Women to the Priesthood in the Episcopal Church, August 17 – Virginia Dare and Manteo, September 23 – Thecla.  Alternative collects are also proposed for some commemorations.  The SCLM has also prepared material for liturgical engagement honoring God’s Creation, but have declined to commend a season of Sundays with Creation as the focus.  They are also providing materials for the loss of a companion animal for consideration, in response to a GC 2009 resolution, adding as well rites for St. Francis Day Blessing of the Animals, Burial Office for a Beloved Animal, and other prayers for Adoption, Illness, Loss, or Death of an Animal.  As noted above, a set of alternative offices have also been prepared, for each of the 8 monastic hours.  Each season, including Holy Week and 2 themes for the Season after Pentecost, are provided, with different material for each season.  Each hour also has its own character:  Lauds=praise; Prime=discernment; Terce=wisdom; Sext=perseverance and renewal; Nones=love; Vespers=forgiveness; Compline=trust; Vigils (Matins)=watch.  Each office is brief (1-2 pages) and invariable in structure.  In their spare time, the SCLM has also recommended including the Common English Bible (2010) and The Message (2002) as authorized versions of the Bible for use in worship.  The last recommendation has to do with resolving a conflict between the lections listed on the Proper Liturgies for Special Days in the Book of Common Prayer and the Revised Common Lectionary.  Because these readings are explicitly listed within the BCP text, they were not revised when the Lectionary was revised, creating a conflict and some confusion.  This may be complicated to resolve without opening the door to Prayer Book Revision.

A revision of the Hymnal will not be forthcoming anytime soon, it seems, based on their survey results.  They are hoping to prepare, after 2012, a resource to generate new resources and cultivate musical leadership under the Congregational Song Task Force.  The Book of Occasional Services revision has begun, but will not be prepared for 2012.  Additionally, the SCLM has put forward principles for translation of texts to try to produce better quality translations, especially in Spanish, for developing resources.  Liturgies for the Adoption of Children is another project that lies ahead, beyond the 2012 General Convention.

The Baptismal Consultation continued its work in 2011 and various partners have come together with the Standing Commission on Lifelong Formation and Education (info found here) to produce proposals for catechetical materials.  The Associated Parishes for Liturgy and Music have been instrumental in much of this work.  Expect there also to be a proposal at GC 2012 to remove Confirmation as a requirement for Lay Offices and Ministries in the Canons.

Sylvia Sweeney noted that her video interview project was now online and available: “Claiming the Blessing: Baptismal Identity in the Episcopal Church”  This is a six hour video course that could be used in smaller parts, but is designed for lay persons, seminarians, and clergy to develop a deeper appreciation for the history and theology of the baptismal rite in the 1979 Book of Common Prayer.  A great resource.

Lunchtime! Whew!

Fast Forward . . .

So, the reality is that I use this blog almost solely for capturing my reactions to the North American Academy of Liturgy meetings each January. That’s pretty narrow and specific. Perhaps more will happen in this year — new years are always so hopeful!

At the least, I will see if I can say something about this year’s NAAL meeting — which happens to begin today! In Montreal!

Today is the Anglican Colloquium Pre-Meeting and the Opening Liturgy tonight.

NAAL – Day Two, Saturday

Noah’s Bagels got us off to a good start today – Melanie and I even stuck around with Noah long enough to pray the Office, thanks to Derek Olsen’s “St. Bede’s Breviary” online.

The first session of Liturgical Theology considered 2 papers. The first, from the seminar’s only Jewish member, considered the role of anamnesis in recent rites for baby girls identifying them as part if Abraham’s covenant (rites that accomplish the same purpose as male circumcision, in other words). The second paper considered challenges in translation in the Korean Presbyterian Church, specifically of the sursum corda. The issue here is that it would be very rude to address the presiding minister as “you” in the response “And also with you.” The solution they employed reads roughly like this: ‘It is hoped that the Lord may be with you.’ ‘We believe that God is with us.’ This is an intriguing solution, but not without some challenges. After lunch we convened to hear works in progress, including a paper on undoing the indelible, regarding the recent phenomenon of ‘de-baptism’.

Our day closed with our business meeting and a fine banquet. At the banquet, the Academy’s highest honor, the Berakah Award, was awarded to Richard Vosko, a liturgical architect.

NAAL – Day One, Friday

After a sung Morning Prayer service, we heard the vice-presidential address which was centered on liturgy, ecology, and cosmology. The VP described many of the significant changes in how we view and understand the world over the last 150 years and some of the implications for areas of theology and liturgical studies. Some intriguing areas of overlap with my own interests.

Seminars convened directly after the address and I went to my group, Liturgical Theology. Our opening discussion was on the text The Eucharist and Ecumenism by George Hunsinger. This book, by a Reformed Theologian, attempts to articulate a Eucharistic theology that would unite Christian traditions, rather than divide them. The short version is that he advocates a description of the Eucharistic conversion using the term transelementation, hoping to settle both Protestant and Roman Catholic concerns.

After a lunch that included roast beef sushi (?!), I jumped over to the Christian Initiation seminar. The Rector of St. Gregory of Nyssa was presenting on his parish’s practice of communion to the unbaptized. The element that intrigued me about their rationale was that by administering the Body and Blood freely and without distinction, by inviting any and all to receive, they were experiencing the living Christ in their midst. It is, for them, a function of the encounter with Christ in the Eucharist, in the action of the assembly, real presence. Interesting.

Later in the afternoon, I sat down with Patrick Malloy of GTS to discuss a way forward for my degree program, which was very helpful and even a bit hopeful.

Evening worship was at Grace Cathedral, up a bit of a hill. Perhaps the less said about the liturgy the better – maybe in another post. I was happy to see the labyrinth at Grace, which was a sort of epicenter for the recovery of the labyrinth, at least within the Episcopal Church.

We wound our way back to the hotel through Chinatown, finding an interesting eatery for a late supper. House of Nanking specializes in their homemade noodles and sauces all prepared by Chef Fang.

NAAL – Opening Worship, Thursday Evening

NAAL always begins, naturally enough, a liturgy on the opening evening. We began outside (temp in the 40s or so) and were directed to a plaza with the words “just follow the sound of the drumming,” which did not inspire me with confidence regarding the rite which was about to begin.

Sure enough, drumming led us to a song leader out in the chill with some folks trying to wave flags and banners. We got through some call/response versions of the Gloria and the Third Song of Isaiah (“arise, shine”). Thankfully we soon began to move back inside and turned to discover two Chinese dancers in smiling masks as well as a Lion waiting for us. A martial arts group had been brought in to do a Lion Dance, which certainly added local SF flavor. We went in a cacophonous procession down the street and into the hotel lobby to one of the ballrooms set up for worship. The rest of the liturgy was fairly typical for these meetings – usually NAAL folks try to do too much in these opening rites. Perhaps asking a committee of professional liturgists to put together a service is too much of a good thing.

Part of these services always includes a remembrance rite for those members who have died in the previous year. It is a poignant tribute from friends and colleagues. As the service ended, the Lion Dancers returned to lead us into a welcome reception.