Acting Liturgically

David Grumett, Ecclesiology Philosophers of religion have classically engaged with topics such as God's existence and attributes, the problem of evil, and the question of miracles. Ritual, in contrast, has often been viewed as the preserve of religious studies scholars. In this dense but thoughtful collection based on work produced over several decades, Nicholas Wolterstorff corrects both of these assumptions by bringing strictly philosophical tools to bear on Christian liturgy. The Yale philosophical theologian attends to actions and texts, and in so doing endorses the turns to religious experience and to language that characterize contemporary philosophy of religion.

James M. Arcadi, Reading Religion Review from previous edition This book is provocative, instructive, and should achieve the author's intention of catalyzing a new research program ... Acting Liturgically will be an essential guide

Nicholas Wolterstorff (Retired in June 2002) was Noah Porter Professor of Philosophical Theology, and has taught at Yale since 1989. Previously, he taught at Calvin College, the Free University of Amsterdam, and the University of Notre Dame and has been visiting professor at several institutions. He has received many fellowships, including ones from the NEH and the Danforth Endowment. He is past President of the American Philosophical Association (Central Division) and serves on its publication and executive committees. He is on the editorial boards of Faith and Philosophy; Topics in Philosophy; and is also General Editor of the Supplementary Textbook Project of the Christian College Coalition and a member of the evaluation panels for the NEH.

Introduction PART ONE: LITURGY, ENACTMENTS, AND SCRIPTS 1: What is Liturgy? 2: On Following a Liturgical Script 3: With One Accord: The Communal Dimension of Liturgical Enactments 4: On Bended Knee: the Bodily Dimension of Liturgical Enactments 5: What Are Those without Faith Doing in Liturgical Enactments? PART TWO: LITURGY AND SCRIPTURE 6: On the Liturgical Reading and Singing of Scripture 7: Liturgical Repetition and Reenactment 8: Liturgical Commemoration 9: The Liturgical Present Tense PART THREE: GOD IN THE LITURGY 10: God's Liturgical Activity 11: Does God Know What We Say to God? PART FOUR: LITURGY, LOVE, AND JUSTICE 12: Liturgical Love 13: Justice and Injustice in Christian Liturgies