„The Word of the Lord. Reading the Gospels in Liturgies from Christian East and West”
The Interdisciplinary Symposium of Liturgical Studies has proven the strong radiance of research in Regensburg
22. Dec. 2023
25 researchers from 14 different countries followed the invitation to Regensburg to attend an international interdisciplinary symposium that took place from November 22–25, 2023: “The Word of the Lord. Reading the Gospels in Liturgies from Christian East and West” illustrated the strong radiance of the research context in Regensburg.
A new collaborative project at Universität Regensburg
Dr. Marie-Ève Geiger was the main organiser of the event. Since 2021, she is the principal investigator of her research project on Byzantine gospels and the liturgical year (“ELIKIB: Evangelium und Liturgie in der byzantinischen Kirche: Das liturgische Kirchenjahr in griechischen Tetraevangelien (9.–15. Jahrhundert)“), funded by the Fritz Thyssen Foundation. For the last year of the project, she chose the Chair of Liturgical Studies at UR as host institution. Her topic serves as important contribution to the faculty’s research focus "The Bible and its reception in cultural discourses." Once again, Dr. Geiger and her conference highlight and enhance the agglomeration effects of the Centre for Advanced Studies “Beyond Canon_” as well as of the fact that more and more research projects of individual international scholars are set at the Faculty of Catholic Theology of UR. In this context, Prof. Dr. Harald Buchinger, Chair of Liturgical Studies and Director of the CAS “Beyond Canon_”, emphasised the importance of a certain development: of stand-alone projects which then become collaborative projects – a tendency that has clearly picked up speed at Regensburg’s Faculty of Catholic Theology.
Global liturgical traditions
Dr. Geiger’s conference aimed at exploring the link between the readings of the Gospels during liturgical services and the calendars they are included in. It opened a dialogue space for interdisciplinary exchange with specialists in other traditions from Christian East and West: Arabic, Aramaic, Armenian, Ethiopian, Georgian, Latin, Old Slavonic, Syriac. In the synopsis of texts, rites, and material culture characteristic of the CAS "Beyond Canon_", the event made a contribution both to the faculty's research focus "The Bible and its Reception in Cultural Discourses" and to liturgical studies with a regional scientific configuration. The symposium was co-conceptualised with Prof. Dr. Elena Velkovska, an international doyenne of liturgical studies, who has visited Regensburg multiple times as well as many other participants who partly even held a position for their own research projects at the faculty. Regarding this established network, the organisers concluded with the remarks that this conference resulted in a wonderful assembly of scholars, friends, and future friends.
This conference has contributed to a broader awareness of the importance of liturgical sources both in New Testament studies and in church history.
Participants of the conference. © Franziska J. A. Müller/“Beyond Canon_”
Information/Contact
Dr. Marie-Ève Geiger
Lehrstuhl für Liturgiewissenschaft Prof. Dr. Harald Buchinger
E-Mail: Marie-Eve.Geiger@theologie.uni-regensburg.de
Charlotte von Schelling
Centre for Advanced Studies "Beyond Canon_" (FOR 2770)
E-Mail: Charlotte.Von-Schelling@ur.de
