Resources

Philosophy and Liturgy: Ritual, Practice, and Embodied Wisdom
Calvin College
Grand Rapids, Mich.
May 20-22, 2008

Co-sponsored by Seminars for Christian Scholarship at Calvin College

Hosted by James K.A. Smith, John Witvliet and Nicholas Wolterstorff

This conference brought together leading scholars in philosophy and theology to investigate key themes in worship with the tools of philosophy, with the ultimate goal of informing practice. The gathering also had the reciprocal goal of letting liturgical practice become a fund for philosophical reflection on classic questions and themes. The conference thus staged a reciprocal encounter between philosophy and liturgy, with the goal of generating a liturgical philosophy, and a philosophically-informed liturgy.

More information from Seminars in Christian Scholarship

Resources
Blog posts
Pictures
Schedule
Speakers

Audio
Opening Greetings
James K.A. Smith and John Witvliet
• Listen

Philosophical Reflections on Liturgy: Getting Started
Nicholas Wolterstorff
• Presentation / Q&A

Deuteronomy 6:4-9: A Philosophical Exposition of a Liturgical Text
Howard Wettstein
• Presentation

Embodied Knowledge: Some Reflections from Recent Philosophy of Science
Josh Reeves
• Presentation / Q&A

Ingenuity and Critique: On the Place and Necessity of Philosophy in Liturgy's Practice and Wisdom
Angelo Cardita
• Presentation / Q&A / Outline

'Beyond Belief': Liturgy and the Cognitive Apprehension of God
Sarah Coakley
• Presentation / Outline

Philosophy of Religion Takes Practice: Liturgy as Source and Method in Philosophy of Religion
James K.A. Smith
• Presentation / Q&A

Lex Orandi, Lex Credendi: Eucharistic Transubstantiation in Light of the Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament
Reinhard Hutter
• Presentation / Q&A

Liturgy of St. James (4th century, Jerusalem): A Philosophical Exposition of a Liturgical Text
John Witvliet
• Presentation / Text

Displacing Bodies: Ritualization and Resistance
Ludger Viefhues-Bailey
• Presentation / Q&A

Redemptive Reasoning: Philosophy and Jewish Morning Prayer
Peter Ochs
• Excerpt / Outline)

If These Walls Could Only Speak: Icons as Vehicles of Divine Discourse
Terence Cuneo
• Presentation / Outline

Prospects and Possibilities: Concluding Roundtable Discussion with Plenary Speakers
panel discussion
• Presentation

Related Events
A seminar on philosophy and liturgy is being planned for the summer of 2009 by Seminars in Christian Scholarship; watch that website for more information.

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