Dynamic Equivalence: The Living Language of Christian Worship

by Keith F Pecklers

Overview

In studying the history of the vernacular in worship beginning with the Christian Scriptures, Dynamic Equivalence uncovers the power of a living language to transform communities of faith.
How we pray when we come together for common worship has always been significant, but the issue of liturgical language received unprecedented attention in the twentieth century when Latin Rite Roman Catholic worship was opened to the vernacular at Vatican II. Worshiping in one's native tongue continues to be of issue as the churches debate over what type of vernacular should be employed.
Dynamic Equivalence traces the history of liturgical language in the Western Christian tradition as a dynamic and living reality. Particular attention is paid to the twentieth century Vernacular Society within the United States and how the vernacular issue was treated at Vatican II, especially within an ecumenical context.
The first chapter offers a short history of the vernacular from the first century through the twentieth. The second and third chapters contain a significant amount of archival material, much of which has never been published before. These chapters tell the story of a mixed group of Catholic laity and clergy dedicated to promoting the vernacular during the first half of the twentieth century. Chapter Four begins with a survey of vernacular promotion in the Reformation itself, explores the issue of vernacular worship as an instrument of ecumenical hospitality and concludes with some examples of ecumenical liturgical cooperation in the years immediately preceding the Council. The final chapter treats the vernacular debate at the Council with attention to the Vernacular Society's role in helping with theimplementation of the vernacular.
Chapters are "A Brief History of the Vernacular," "The Origins of the Vernacular Society: 1946-1956," "Pressure for the Vernacular Mounts: 1956-1962," "Vernacular Worship and Ecumenical Exchange," "Vatican II and the Vindication of the Vernacular: 1962-1965"
Keith F. Pecklers, SJ, SLD, is professor of liturgy at the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome and professor of liturgical history at the Pontifical Liturgical Institute of Sant ‘Anselmo. He is the author of The Unread Vision: The Liturgical Movement in the United States of America 1926-1955, and co-editor of Liturgy for the New Millennium: A Commentary on the Revised Sacramentary, published by The Liturgical Press.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780814661918
Publisher:	Liturgical Press
Publication date:	05/01/2003
Series:	Pueblo Books
Pages:	264
Product dimensions:	6.32(w) x 8.96(h) x 0.77(d)

About the Author

Keith F. Pecklers, SJ, is professor of liturgy at the Pontifical Gregorian University and professor of liturgical history at the Pontifical Liturgical Institute in Rome. He is the author of the following titles published by Liturgical Press: Dynamic Equivalence: The Living Language of Christian Worship; The Unread Vision: The Liturgical Movement in the United States of America 1926-1955; Worship: A Primer in Christian Ritual; and editor of Liturgy for the New Millennium: A Commentary on the Revised Sacramentary. He is also the author of "Liturgy from Trent to Vatican II" included in the Handbook of Liturgical Studies published by Liturgical Press.

Table of Contents

	Abbreviations	xiii
	Acknowledgements	xiv
	Foreword	xvi
	Introduction	xviii
	Notes for Introduction	xxi
Chapter 1	A Brief History of the Vernacular
1.1	Introduction	1
1.2	The Early Church	1
1.3	The Eighth through the Fourteenth Centuries	4
1.3.1	Cyril and Methodius: "Apostles to the Slavs"	4
1.3.2	Developments Elsewhere in Europe	7
1.3.3	Vernacular Privileges for New Missionary Orders	9
1.4	The Council of Trent and the Vernacular Question	9
1.4.1	Post-Tridentine Vernacular Advances	11
1.4.2	Vernacular Translations in Western Europe	13
1.4.3	Vernacular Promotion in Britain	16
1.4.4	The English Catholic Enlightenment	19
1.4.5	Eighteenth- and Nineteenth-Century Italy and the Vernacular	20
1.5	The Vernacular Issue in the Mission of John Carroll	24
1.6	The Nineteenth Century	28
1.7	Twentieth-Century Developments	31
1.8	Conclusion	36
	Notes for Chapter 1	37
Chapter 2	The Origins of the Vernacular Society: 1946-1956
2.1	Introduction: The St. Jerome Society	42
2.2	The Vernacular Society Is Born	45
2.2.1	The Early Years of the Vernacular Society	48
2.3	Membership	50
2.3.1	The Role of Colonel John Kimbell Ross-Duggan	52
2.4	The Vernacular Society Goes International: The Lugano Conference	55
2.5	Amen	56
2.6	The Latin-English Ritual	63
2.7	Strategy and Tactics: Tensions between the Vernacularists and the Hierarchy	69
2.8	Conclusion	73
	Notes for Chapter 2	74
Chapter 3	Pressure for the Vernacular Mounts: 1956-1962
3.1	Introduction	78
3.2	The Assisi Congress	78
3.3	"Soul-Searching" and the Call for Amalgamation	83
3.4	"Instruction on Sacred Music and Sacred Liturgy"	88
3.5	The Vernacular and the Missions	94
3.6	Society Membership and New Vernacular Initiatives	95
3.7	Amen and International Support for the Cause	99
3.8	New Challenges to the Promotion of the Vernacular	107
3.9	The Vernacular Petition	110
3.10	More Challenges for Vernacular Worship	115
3.10.1	Veterum sapientia	117
3.11	Conclusion	120
	Notes for Chapter 3	121
Chapter 4	Vernacular Worship and Ecumenical Exchange
4.1	Introduction	127
4.2	Lessons from the Reformation	127
4.2.1	The English Reformation	129
4.2.2	The Reformation in Scandinavia	135
4.2.3	The Seventeenth through the Nineteenth Centuries: Movements in the Church of England	138
4.3	The Vernacular Issue in the Twentieth Century: Instrument of Ecumenical Hospitality	139
4.4	Lessons from Twentieth-Century Anglican Worship	146
4.4.1	The Book of Common Prayer	151
4.5	The Vernacular as an Instrument in the Search for Christian Unity	155
4.5.1	The Vernacular and the Secretariat for the Promotion of Christian Unity	157
4.6	The Wichita Conference of "Associated Parishes"	159
4.7	Conclusion	161
	Notes for Chapter 4	163
Chapter 5	Vatican II and the Vindication of the Vernacular Society: 1962-1965
5.1	Introduction	170
5.2	The Burning Issue in the Liturgical Renewal	172
5.3	The Preparatory Liturgical Commission	173
5.3.1	Melkite Vernacular Privileges	175
5.3.2	The Vernacular Question and Vatican Diplomacy	177
5.4	The Second Vatican Council's First Session and the Vernacular Debate	180
5.4.1	The Vernacular Debate Unfolds	182
5.4.2	Debemus Levare Linguam Latinam	184
5.4.3	Vernacular in the Service of Cultural Adaptation	186
5.4.4	Hallinan's Ecumenical Plea for Vernacular Worship	189
5.4.5	The Pope Addresses the Council in the Vernacular	191
5.4.6	Vernacular Lobbying behind the Scenes	191
5.4.7	Discussion on the Liturgy Schema Concluded	193
5.4.8	The Vernacular Vote Is Cast	193
5.5	End of the First Session and Reactions to the Vernacular Vote	195
5.6	On the Future of the Vernacular Society	198
5.7	The Founding of the International Commission on English in the Liturgy	204
5.8	The Liturgy Constitution Approved	206
5.9	The Consilium and the Task of Implementing a Vernacular Liturgy	208
5.10	Conclusion	215
	Notes for Chapter 5	216
	General Conclusion	226
	Notes for General Conclusion	231
	Select Bibliography	233
	Index	237

Editorial Reviews

Anyone who thinks the use of the vernacular in the liturgy was an invention of the bishops at Vatican Council II must read this book to understand what led up to that decision. It also shows how, with prayers and persistence, a populous movement for change in the Catholic Church can finally be effective.
Most Reverend Rembert G. Weakland, O.S.B., Archbishop Emeritus of Milwaukee


The book gives a helpful and detailed history of language in worship, the trials of Cyril and Methodius; the different approach by the eastern churches; the need for participation in the liturgy as primary spiritual formation, and for catechesis coming from scriptures readily understood.
Joseph T. Nolan, Boston College


Keith Pecklers is an expert guide to charting the historical background; but he comes into his own in unraveling the lobbying and maneuvering around the time of the Council. Here his work reads almost like a detective story, a detective story that has a continuing life, as the events of recent years have disclosed. Anyone interested in a worked example of how the Roman Catholic Church tries to balance its historic commitment to be the church universal with a genuine desire to engage in serious mission locally should read this book.
——David Stancliffe, Bishop of Salisbury, Chairman of the Church of England Liturgical Commission


This book hits many targets and does it fair and square! It is technical, drawing together important evidence in a skillful, accessible way for students of all kind. It has sparkling clarity and a good eye for memorable quotations. . . . Keith Pecklers' love of liturgy and his zest for its study, seasoned with a sense of humor, makes the text immensely readable. I think that this is one of those books which all serious students of liturgy ought to read.
The Right Reverend Richard Garrard, Director of the Centre and the Archbishop of Canterbury's Representative to the Holy See, The Anglican Centre in Rome


. . . an excellent resource for understanding debates over translation.
NCR


In this timely book, Pecklers splays open the tradition to reveal an amazing pluriformity around issues of the vernacular. His telling of the 20th century debate culminating in Vatican II is compelling narration sustained by first rate archival research. Those of us concerned with issues of language, vernacular and translation are deeply indebted to him for this broad ranging, accessible and crystalline work.
Edward Foley, Capuchin, Professor of Liturgy and Music, Catholic Theological Union, Chicago, Illinois

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