Liturgical Theology and Liturgical Rites

A couple of years ago I desired to write about "The Eucharist in the Coptic Church." I visited some bookstores in USA, where I found hundreds of books discussing the mystery of the Eucharist; its history, rites, ceremonies and theology etc. I do not exaggerate to say that many Copts already enjoy the liturgical life, which these books convey through sheer simplicity of faith, in fact they conceive more by the spirit.

The faithful Copts unceasingly live in a state of practical repentance in their Church, and enter the heavenly banquet to receive from the Lord Himself the Food of the soul. They eat and are abundantly satisfied, without engaging their minds in discussing historical or traditional sources. They do not demand a detailed interpretation for every liturgical rite, but they are content with experiencing in it the salvation of Christ, which is achieved by Christ in His Church and which He Himself offers to everyone personally.

This caused me to think twice before writing about the "Coptic Rite," for it is one life which cannot be divided into parts for study, but which the soul can feel, and the inner sight perceives.

But an important thing drew my attention that is the bitter experience the Western Church underwent in her liturgical life for many centuries and which ended with the so-called "Liturgical Movement." The aim of this movement was to reveal the inner notion of the liturgy in general on apostolic and patristic bases.

I have resolved not to divert from the spiritual line in this book, for I decided that I wish to know nothing other than Jesus Christ who is a living and life-giving sacrifice. So I am satisfied with recording this experience in brief, as a practical and spiritual lesson, for the benefit of everyone - clergyman or layman - in his daily ecclesiastical life.

The Development of the Liturgical Theology

1 - the Early Centuries

In the early centuries, the liturgies - especially the liturgy of the Eucharist - were the center of the life and worship of the Church. However, these were made for the faithful and not for those who were still outside the Church. Regarding the unbelievers, the Church announced the good tidings of salvation, so that people might know the true God and the Lord Jesus Christ as their Savior and Redeemer. Thus, the missionary work of the Church called them to faith and conversion from their ways to repentance.

It is only when they are brought to the threshold of the Church that she opens her liturgies to them so that they might enjoy spiritual rebirth, accept the Holy Spirit, and participate in the divine banquet.

This was the position of the liturgical study to the catechumens. As for believers, they looked at the liturgy of the Eucharist as the basic food of their spiritual life. It is the supernatural life, which flows smoothly through the deepest inner channel of the soul! It is the divine way, which deepens their Christianity.

This spiritual experience of the liturgical life created a true spiritual understanding of the fellowship with God, which had these results:

a. In the early ages, there was no need to study liturgical history, liturgical theology, liturgical rites or ecclesiology, for the living practice sufficed.
b. The Liturgy of the Eucharist was a source of the life of piety to every Christian. Its efficacious work extended to every aspect in his life. It taught him to forget himself in his zeal for the expansion of God's kingdom, and quickened his heart with missionary thoughts. It is the liturgy of the Eucharist that led him to enter his own chamber to pray secretly to his God, as a living member of the catholic (universal)

Louis Bouyer: The Liturgy Revived.

Louis Bouyer: Liturgical Piety. Braso: Liturgy and Spirituality.

Church.

c. The believer knew only one act of worship, offered by the whole Church through her members, either in the celebration of the liturgy, with his brethren in the public meetings or privately at home. This one act of worship is offered by the One Church in the name of her One Christ, under the guidance of His One Holy Spirit.

In other words, there was a unity between what we now call "public worship" and "personal worship." The community itself acted for the sake of every Christian, and the Christian also lived with an "ecclesiastical and liturgical spirit." He knew himself as nothing but a member of Christ's Body, i.e., the Church. Hence, he was a Christian for he believed in the Christ of the Church.

Thus, liturgical life had its effects on the Church, so that every member worshipped and acted in this ecclesiastical spirit.

The Liturgy in the early centuries was a "method of life" the believer practiced it inside the Church, at home, in his work, in his monastery and in the last moments of his martyrdom.

This method did not permit any separation between public and personal worship or between the ecclesiastical rites and its theology, or between the rites and spirituality. But in simplicity of faith, the believer worships in spirit and in truth, understands the mysteries of the liturgy, feels its spirituality through its rites and practices its spirit in his daily acts.

2. the Middle Ages

In this era, the Western Church interfered in politics, and entered into an exaggerated relationship with the emperors. The clergy were secularized, neglecting their spiritual mission.

We don't deny the duty of the Church to create a patriotic feeling in her children as a natural fruit of faith and love. She offers to society real and good patriots, who fulfill their mission firmly and faithfully. Not with fear or slackness, for the Church teaches her children to be honest in their work, and trains them to suffer for the sake of others, to obey the authorities, pray for the president and all who are in authority and to be loyal in paying taxes. But the Church

should not be involved in any matters that are unrelated to her message.

St. Jerome, who witnessed the first effects of this marriage between the Western Church and the Roman empire anticipated the experience of later ages when he said, "The Church by its connection with Christian princes gained in power and riches, but lost in virtues. "

Moreover, in this era, the modern languages appeared in Europe, and peoples were now able to express their faith and worship in the vernacular, while the clerics continued to speak, write and pray in ancient Latin, as the sacred language, which people ignored. These two factors; i.e. the interference in politics and the worship in a dead language, in addition to other factors, destroyed the liturgical life, and had their effects on liturgical studies consequently the following ensued:

a. For a long time people regarded the liturgy as something to be "performed" but to understand it, was at best optional, never necessary or highly desirable, and occasionally, considered even objectionable.
b. As early as the sixth and seventh centuries the liturgy lost its spirit, and all that it involved was producing and performing words, rites, ceremonies and feasts. It inclined to superficiality while smothering its spirit.

Unfortunately, believers forgot the liturgy as the reality of the mystery of Christ, and considered the outward form as an aim in itself. Gradually, the theological base was being forgotten.

The Catholic liturgist Bouyer, in His book "Liturgical Piety," says, "Many of them still tell their readers that the liturgy is merely the official outward form of the worship of the Church." Moreover, it was looked upon as the etiquette or protocol of the Great King." Thus, a split occurred between liturgical life and spiritual life.

c. The twelfth and thirteenth centuries mark the high point of this outward exuberance while the true sense of worship and piety was being totally lost. The Church involved herself in establishing huge cathedrals that could have been very beautiful if they were at the same

time adorned by the holiness of the worshippers. The Church made an effort to obtain the relics of the saints, and their bodies which was a very vital matter if it had been accompanied with a deep spiritual understanding of the communion of the saints in Jesus Christ. She emphasized the super- human in setting up statues and precious decorations, instead of emphasizing the supernatural state that we attain through our fellowship with Jesus Christ.

d. As the Liturgy, especially the liturgy of the Eucharist, turned toward "formalities," some believers sought piety outside the liturgy. This created a new anti-clerical, anti-hierarchical, anti-sacramental, even anti-liturgical tendency. There was a gulf between the people and the clergy, the liturgy and personal spirituality, and between liturgy and theology.

Towards the end of the fourteenth century a community of clerics known as the "Brothers of common life" in Holland adopted what is called "Modern Piety" based on self-analysis and individual piety. This "modern piety" did not appear overnight but it was a result of many tendencies that evolved secretly or openly throughout many centuries.

e. The sad fact, that the Catholic liturgist Braso mentions in his book "The Liturgy and Spirituality" is that in this era not only liturgical worship had been separated from the spiritual life of believers, and liturgical study had lost its theology and dogmatic basic, but also the western missals had opened their doors to the apocryphal stories. He says, "Almost all the missals of the fifteenth century contain a hundred sequences, which, as may be supposed, echo all apocryphal stories and legendary occurrences."

f. Finally in the sixteenth century Luther denounced with

The following is a fragment of a prose, which the church of Toranto sang during the Mass to the " tear of Jesus Christ," which they claimed to be perceiving.

" Coming from Christ,

Gathered by an angel,

Given to Magdalene,

Brought to Maximin,

Emperor of the Greeks,

Then preserved to-Godfrey, and transferred to Vendome."

violence that man can attain salvation through his own faith, denying any relationship between spirituality and liturgical life, This was an echo of the dominant opinion during that period. The Catholic Father Bouyer says, "But we want further evidence, not of unrehearsed reactions, but of the well considered opinion of a theologian, we can look into one of the most famous books about the liturgy written in the seventeenth century: that of the French Oratorian Thomassin 'Traite de l'Office Divine et de Sa Liaison Mentale.' This work is particularly concerned with clarifying the relationship between the liturgy and personal prayer. It is obvious from the author's whole treatment of the subject that the dominant opinion of the audience for whom he was writing was that there was no connection whatsoever between the liturgy and personal prayer; indeed, the likelihood was rather that they were opposed to one another."

3. the Seventeenth Century

As the Western Church was attached to her sacraments, her liturgical study became inclined to a defensive line. It became part of "Comparative Theology."

This dark side of the struggle that happened in the West had its bright side, i.e. the appearance of a movement studying the liturgical history, examining liturgical texts and translating texts concerning the holy mysteries etc. This scientific movement prepared the way for a return to genuine liturgical theology.

4. Western Liturgical Revival

From the beginning of the twentieth century, liturgical researches and studies of its history and its theology created the socalled "Liturgical Movement." This movement has different aspects and history in different European countries. But, we can say in brief that it had two trends:

a. A renewal of liturgical spirituality on apostolic and patristic bases.
b. A return to the unity between liturgical life and the spiritual activity of every member of the Church.

Braso says that this movement developed in three phases:

I. The historical phase: Fr. Guéranger was the founder of the

scientific Oxford movement which may be considered a factor that assisted its creation, for it facilitated this renewal indirectly through researching into the sources of the liturgy.

II. The doctrinal phase. The researchers opened the door to the understanding of liturgical theology and dogma on spiritual and scientific bases.
III. The pastoral phase. The good guidance of the Church raised liturgical life into a practical fact applied by all.

Thus, in the west, they began to return to the patristic thought on a historical, scientific, spiritual and practical base. This was closely bound up with a theological notion and a living missionary spirit.

The Liturgical Movement and the Orthodox Church

First: the great lesson then, that we should learn from this western experience, is that we ought not to celebrate the liturgy in an unknown language, so that it would not turn into an exorcism or outward rite performed without understanding.

Second: It is necessary not to force upon the liturgy foreign tendencies or culture. But rather try to put ourselves in its own genuine spirit. This attitude would guide us in our homes and in every behavior as will as our worship.

Third: Although the Eastern Church - especially the Coptic one - did not have this sad experience, it was slightly affected by it for a period of time. But now we can say that through simplicity of faith, we live in the apostolic and patristic spirit. We must however benefit from the western researches in liturgical history, and ancient liturgical texts, for we are more capable of understanding them spiritually and tasting them practically.

Fr Schmemann says that this movement is in fact an approach of the west to the Orthodox thought. He says, "It should be added here that even though, the liturgical revival as an organized movement arose and developed for the most part among non-Orthodox people in the West, it has nevertheless a deep internal bond with the Church in the East, and is therefore of special interest to Orthodox theologians. From a certain point of view and with a critical appraisal of each of its achievements, it can be regarded as a kind of 'Orthodox' movement in a non-Orthodox context, since this is a restoration in the thought and life of the Church of those points of emphases and categories, which were in some measure lost by the Christian West. The leaders and founders of this movement have repeatedly declared that in their eyes Orthodox worship bears witness to the 'great liturgical prayer' of the early Church.

'The Orthodox Church,' writes a Catholic historian of the liturgical movement, has preserved the liturgical spirit of the early Church and continues to live by it and to draw life from its source. Hence the special interest in the West in the liturgical tradition of Orthodoxy, and the natural sympathy for Orthodoxy. This means that for the Orthodox theologian the material and experience accumulated by the liturgical movement in the West is not something foreign, but, on the contrary, one of the most valuable aids to his

This does not mean however that we must blindly accept all that has been done or is being done in this field in the West."

The Liturgical Rite and Theology

Every worship, especially the liturgy of the Eucharist, without its theology loses its spirit. At the same time, the liturgy of the Eucharist, in its structure, rites, ceremonies, texts and its whole spirit, is in fact a practical life-giving source of "theology" in its wide meaning. It is the source of the acknowledgment of God, of Christology, ecclesiology, biblology, of literary and spiritual theology etc.

In other words, the Eucharist is a supreme revelation (apocalypses) of the divine wisdom (Sophia), which nourishes us with a genuine view of ourselves, and our real position towards our God, our Christ, our Bible, our Church and our neighbors in this world and in the world to come.

1- It reveals our reality, that as foreigners we should desire what is heavenly.
2- Through the celebration of the Eucharist, we acknowledge our God as our heavenly Father Who offers the Immolated Body and Blood

of His Only-Begotten Son to nourish us spiritually.

3- It expresses in a practical way the Presence of Christ in the midst of His Church, and proclaims His position in our inner life.
4- It also reveals a complete understanding of the ecclesiology, proclaiming the inner nature of the Church, characterizing it as a spiritual and ecclesiastical building. It is built into One Body, through which the believers become true and living members of the single Body of Christ. The Church, which is on the march towards the eschatological city, runs towards eternity.
5- It bestows upon us a true notion of worship, an understanding of the Holy Bible and of the roots of the literary and spiritual theology as a flow of the mystery of salvation itself.
6- It sanctifies our view towards the flesh (body) and the present world for "it is from earthly creatures the heavenly sacrifice is prepared."
7- It opens the door of the world to come so that we participate with the heavenly creatures in their hymns.

Liturgical Rite and Spirituality

Public and Personal Worship

The Orthodox Church does not know extremes. She does not regard the liturgy as a public worship ignoring the personal relationship of the believer with His God, nor characterizing the personal worship with "individualism" since "God is called "our" Father. Our liturgy in its rite is spiritual. By it we live and worship God publicly and personally.

Rite and Word

There are other extremes:

1- Some believers limit their worship into verbal rites, without using sacred words. In their worship, sacred utterings, which make

sense and which are spoken in this intent, disappeared, or no longer play an essential role in it. Thus, worship tends to be no more than a purely ritualistic action.

2 - On the other hand, some are satisfied with the spoken word merely devoid of any rites.

In our Church the rites and the spoken word are inseparable. Man expresses and realizes himself in his relationship with both his God and his brethren by the spoken words and through the performance of rites. They are two symbolic methods for orienting us directly toward God, if we use them "in spirit and in truth." But if we worship God with merely sacred words or through rites without any spiritual understanding, we would hear the divine voice warning, "Inasmuch as these people draw near with their mouths and honor Me with their lips, but have removed their hearts far from Me… But in vain they do worship Me."

The Catholic liturgist Bouyer, in discussing this subject, says that the Catholic worship was reduced to a purely ritualistic action and the Protestant reaction held the other extreme, reducing worship to the "word" without the rite. He concludes His speech, saying, "At the present stage of human evolution we are suffering from the tyranny of the word, or rather of words that have become devitalized by the very stress that has been placed upon them alone. Hence absorption of the rites may be counteracted. The first thing we need is a phenomenology of a still living rite. This in turn will help us to recover words that will transmit vitality to the ritual, that is, words that have been cured of their tendency to reduce everything to themselves. In the ritual itself actions must be spiritualized by means of words. If the meaning of the ritual is not enlightened by an authentic divine word, it degenerates into a magic and simple superstition. But the action should not on that account be reduced to a mere clothing of abstract ideas. Otherwise, there is no longer any ritual at all but at most a kind of pious charade."

Soul and Body

The liturgy is, in fact, a "heavenly service." It is at the same time celebrated by the Church, which is on earth. It lifts man up to

participate in singing hymns with the heavenly choirs, but does not ignore the reality of man as he lives on earth.

Christ Himself Who is invisible but works through visible men who have bodies and souls, celebrates the liturgy of the Eucharist. It supposes that the faithful - presbyters and laymen - participate in the liturgy praying in spirit but not away from their bodies, for they have not put them off. We cannot worship if our bodies remain passive!

Nobody ignores the effect of the body on our inner soul. St. Augustine says 1 that the interior movement of the soul gains intensity from the exterior movement of the body. Our exterior attitude affects the soul, our inner will, and our deep feelings.

For mankind, rite is an incarnate spirituality. It would be much more fruitful to worship through rite if we enter into its spirit and understand its life, not standing at the external and sensual part of it.

Thus, we understand the holy rites of the liturgy not as a set of religious bodily movements, i.e. bowing, rising, standing, striking one's heart, censing, lighting candles etc., nor as a religious dialogue between the presbyters, deacons and the congregation, but it is the mystery of Christ in His Church. It is the mystery of our salvation, acting in our whole life.