020059 VU Intoduction to Practical Theology (2013W)

Rites, Celebrations, Worship: Liturgy is often perceived as a cliched "protocol" or experienced as a mere custom. In the meantime a need for rituals was diagnosed which proofed being a source of spirituality and supportive in crises. This resulted in analyzing liturgies also from an anthropological perspective alongside with the theological approach. The lecture deals with both perspectives and will provide for an overview covering methodical aspects like "poiesis" as a special form of acting, the development of representations, traits of festivities and events as "ars celebrandi"; the lecture also introduces to main topics such as: historical roots of Christian service in Judaism and bible, theology of the sacraments (ecumenical), liturgy in the Orthodox Churches, liturgy reforms up to the new book of liturgies in Austria, the meaning of liturgical rooms and symbols.