Between Folk and Liturgy, the title of this collection, should not be understood to refer to some fixed point, some stable place between the two extremes of an illiterate and a literate culture. Rather, the title flags the wide and colourful spectrum of medieval dramatic possibility. Perhaps except one, none of the ten essays published here deal with a drama existing purely at either end of this scale. They add to our impression of the teaming fecundity and hybridism of early European drama, an impression that grows apace once we start to consider dramas situated Between Folk and Liturgy. The geographical terrain that the essays traverse ranges from the British Isles in the west to Poland in the east. The suppleness of the approaches taken here is the minimum critical requirement of anyone wanting to do justice to so complex and multifold a phenomenon as is early European drama.

This book tells the story of The Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy, presents and analyzes its main points, and describes how its agenda has fared on its sometimes tumultuous journey from the time of Vatican II up to the present. (Publisher).

In the decades following the Second Vatican Council, Catholic liturgy became an area of considerable interest and debate, if not controversy, in the West. Mid-late 20th century liturgical scholarship, upon which the liturgical reforms of the Second Vatican Council were predicated and implemented, no longer stands unquestioned. The liturgical and ecclesial springtime the reforms of Paul VI were expected to facilitate has failed to emerge, leaving many questions as to their wisdom and value. Quo vadis Catholic liturgy? This Companion brings together a variety of scholars who consider this question at the beginning of the 21st century in the light of advances in liturgical scholarship, decades of post-Vatican II experience and the critical re-examination in the West of the question of the liturgy promoted by Benedict XVI. The contributors, each eminent in their field, have distinct takes on how to answer this question, but each makes a significant contribution to contemporary debate, making this Companion an essential reference for the study of Western Catholic liturgy in history and in the light of contemporary scholarship and debate.

Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger has called for a "new" liturgical movement of the twenty first century to maximize the strengths and minimize the weaknesses of the "old" in the century now closing. This book attempts an assessment of the 20th century liturgical movement and the brave but flawed reform to which it gave birth. Fr. Nichols reviews the reform as an historian, sociologist and cultural critic, pinpointing the areas that need to be addressed if a more satisfactory liturgical life in the Western Catholicism is to be achieved. A timely and important work which is certain to spark much discussion on the need for a critical assessment of liturgical reform.

Is it singing? A church service? All of life? Helping Christians think more theologically about the nature of true worship, Rhythms of Grace shows how the gospel is all about worship and worship is all about the gospel. Mike Cosper ultimately answers the question: What is worship?

A global history of Jewish music from the biblical era to the present day, with chapters by leading international scholars.