Ritual Studies

(3 Credit Hours) · Undergraduate

The historical study of texts has always been central to the study of Christian liturgy, but there is another element, just as important: the study of ritual behavior (and misbehavior!). Liturgy and ritual are more than text: they also "speak" through action, symbol, space, culture, and the arts. This "hands-on" course introduces the methodologies for studying that "everything else": why people do or don't do; why they embrace or resist what the "experts" tell them; how people invent new rites or revive old ones, fight for or against liturgical reforms, cross picket lines, wear funny hats at sports events, care more about the high school prom than about being confirmed, or go out for a smoke during the sermon. Learning by doing, we will begin experiencing the study of symbolism, narrative, myth, memory, and community, using techniques from the social sciences: participant observation, semi-structured interviewing, focus groups, writing and coding field notes, film criticism, and more.