Liturgi, konversioner och genus i den efterreformatoriska katolska kyrkan i Norden
Werner, Yvonne Maria LU
(2023)
In Årsbok för Svenskt Gudstjänstliv
2023(98).
p.79-109
- Abstract
- The relation between worship and gender is a hot topic in the Catholic Church. In recent decades, the debate has mostly been about breaking with patriarchal and male dominated liturgical forms and traditions. Yet, in Catholic traditionalist Catholic liturgy, due to the reform after the Second Vatican council, is considered to have lost much of its former masculine character.
In my article, I address this question through an analysis of the role of the liturgy in the Catholic conversion movement that began in Scandinavia as a result of the liberalization of religious laws in the mid-19th century. I examine the connection between gender and liturgy in conversion narratives and highlight changes over time.
Up to Vatican II, the... (More) - The relation between worship and gender is a hot topic in the Catholic Church. In recent decades, the debate has mostly been about breaking with patriarchal and male dominated liturgical forms and traditions. Yet, in Catholic traditionalist Catholic liturgy, due to the reform after the Second Vatican council, is considered to have lost much of its former masculine character.
In my article, I address this question through an analysis of the role of the liturgy in the Catholic conversion movement that began in Scandinavia as a result of the liberalization of religious laws in the mid-19th century. I examine the connection between gender and liturgy in conversion narratives and highlight changes over time.
Up to Vatican II, the Catholic Church strongly emphasised its claim to be the only true church, and also Protestant regions as the Nordic countries were regarded as missionary areas. The Catholic priests and sisters working in this region were thus missionaries with the task to pursue mission and to win converts. Catholic worship had a distinctly sacral and ceremonial character, which attracted many non-Catholics and generated an interest in the Catholic faith. This was also the case in Scandinavia. In conversion narratives published during the first half of the 20th century, there are many examples of the encounter with the Catholic liturgy acting as an incentive for conversion, not least among male converts.
With the liturgical reform of 1969, much of the cultural and aesthetic aura that had characterized the Catholic liturgy disappeared. A Swedish survey on reasons for conversion after the council shows that church doctrine and liturgy are given less importance. Instead, spiritual values such as experience of God and sanctification dominate, as well as the feeling of community in a concrete parish. This reflects the change in church teaching after Vatican II and also the new liturgical concepts launched with the liturgical reform.
In the last twenty years, a new trend reversal has taken place in the Scandinavian conversion discourse. In the conversion narratives the firm doctrine of the Catholic Church is stressed, and the liturgy, most notably in its older form, is again highlighted as an important factor in the conversion process, especially among male converts. This can be seen as a consequence of the increased ritualization of the Mass celebration that appears in many places in the Catholic Church, and also as a reflection of a conservative trend within Catholicism. To this can be added, that the Roman church leadership has turned against efforts to create liturgical services for women and clearly marked the male character of Catholic priesthood.
(Less) - Abstract (Swedish)
- The relationship between worship and gender is a contentious issue within the Catholic Church. In recent decades, the debate has predominantly focused on the question of challenging patriarchal and male-dominated liturgical forms and traditions. However, within traditionalist Catholic circles, Catholic liturgy is considered to have lost much of its former masculine character due to the reforms implemented after the Second Vatican Council. In my article, I explore this question by analysing the role of the liturgy in the Catholic conversion movement that originated in Scandinavia as a result of the liberalization of religious laws in the mid-19th century. I examine the connection between gender and liturgy in conversion narratives and... (More)
- The relationship between worship and gender is a contentious issue within the Catholic Church. In recent decades, the debate has predominantly focused on the question of challenging patriarchal and male-dominated liturgical forms and traditions. However, within traditionalist Catholic circles, Catholic liturgy is considered to have lost much of its former masculine character due to the reforms implemented after the Second Vatican Council. In my article, I explore this question by analysing the role of the liturgy in the Catholic conversion movement that originated in Scandinavia as a result of the liberalization of religious laws in the mid-19th century. I examine the connection between gender and liturgy in conversion narratives and highlight changes that have occurred over time.
Prior to the Second Vatican Council, the Catholic Church strongly emphasized its claim of being the only true church, and also Protestant regions as the Nordic countries were regarded as missionary territories. Catholic priests and sisters working in this region were therefore missionaries with the task to pursue mission and winning converts. Catholic worship possessed a distinct sacred and ceremonial character, which attracted many non-Catholics and fostered an interest in the Catholic faith. This was also evident in Scandinavia. In conversion narratives published during the first half of the 20th century, there are many examples of the encounter with the Catholic liturgy acting as an incentive for conversion, not least among male converts.
Following the liturgical reform of 1969, much of the cultural and aesthetic aura that had characterized the Catholic liturgy dissipated. A Swedish survey on the reasons for conversion after the council reveals that church doctrine and liturgy were given less importance. Instead, spiritual values such as the experience of God and sanctification took precedence, as did the sense of community within a tangible parish. This shift reflects the changes in church teachings after the council and the introduction of new liturgical concepts associated with the liturgical reform.
Over the past two decades, a new trend reversal has occurred in the Scandinavian discourse on conversion. In the conversion narratives the firm doctrine of the Catholic Church is stressed, and the liturgy, particularly in its older form, is once again being highlighted as a significant factor in the conversion process, particularly among male converts. This can be seen as a consequence of the increased ritualization of the Mass celebration that is observed in many Catholic churches, as well as a reflection of a conservative trend within Catholicism. Furthermore, the leadership of the Roman Church has opposed efforts to develop clerical services for women and has staunchly affirmed the male character of Catholic priesthood.
(Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
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- author
- Werner, Yvonne Maria
LU
- organization
- publishing date
- 2023-08
- type
- Contribution to journal
- publication status
- published
- subject
- keywords
- Katolsk liturgi, genus, manlighet, katolsk konversion, konversionsberättelse, Skandinavien
- in
- Årsbok för Svenskt Gudstjänstliv
- volume
- 2023
- issue
- 98
- pages
- 30 pages
- publisher
- Artos & Norma
- ISSN
- 0280-9133
- language
- Swedish
- LU publication?
- yes
- additional info
- Publicerad i Konvergenser och divergenser. Årsbok för svenskt gudstjänstliv 98.
- id
- d5be1b7d-c72d-4f90-a57c-9d2348a1fd95
- date added to LUP
- 2023-04-15 12:08:54
- date last changed
- 2023-12-03 09:15:18
@article{d5be1b7d-c72d-4f90-a57c-9d2348a1fd95,
abstract = {{The relation between worship and gender is a hot topic in the Catholic Church. In recent decades, the debate has mostly been about breaking with patriarchal and male dominated liturgical forms and traditions. Yet, in Catholic traditionalist Catholic liturgy, due to the reform after the Second Vatican council, is considered to have lost much of its former masculine character. <br/><br/>In my article, I address this question through an analysis of the role of the liturgy in the Catholic conversion movement that began in Scandinavia as a result of the liberalization of religious laws in the mid-19th century. I examine the connection between gender and liturgy in conversion narratives and highlight changes over time. <br/>Up to Vatican II, the Catholic Church strongly emphasised its claim to be the only true church, and also Protestant regions as the Nordic countries were regarded as missionary areas. The Catholic priests and sisters working in this region were thus missionaries with the task to pursue mission and to win converts. Catholic worship had a distinctly sacral and ceremonial character, which attracted many non-Catholics and generated an interest in the Catholic faith. This was also the case in Scandinavia. In conversion narratives published during the first half of the 20th century, there are many examples of the encounter with the Catholic liturgy acting as an incentive for conversion, not least among male converts. <br/><br/>With the liturgical reform of 1969, much of the cultural and aesthetic aura that had characterized the Catholic liturgy disappeared. A Swedish survey on reasons for conversion after the council shows that church doctrine and liturgy are given less importance. Instead, spiritual values such as experience of God and sanctification dominate, as well as the feeling of community in a concrete parish. This reflects the change in church teaching after Vatican II and also the new liturgical concepts launched with the liturgical reform.<br/><br/>In the last twenty years, a new trend reversal has taken place in the Scandinavian conversion discourse. In the conversion narratives the firm doctrine of the Catholic Church is stressed, and the liturgy, most notably in its older form, is again highlighted as an important factor in the conversion process, especially among male converts. This can be seen as a consequence of the increased ritualization of the Mass celebration that appears in many places in the Catholic Church, and also as a reflection of a conservative trend within Catholicism. To this can be added, that the Roman church leadership has turned against efforts to create liturgical services for women and clearly marked the male character of Catholic priesthood.<br/><br/>}},
author = {{Werner, Yvonne Maria}},
issn = {{0280-9133}},
keywords = {{Katolsk liturgi, genus, manlighet, katolsk konversion, konversionsberättelse, Skandinavien}},
language = {{swe}},
number = {{98}},
pages = {{79--109}},
publisher = {{Artos & Norma}},
series = {{Årsbok för Svenskt Gudstjänstliv}},
title = {{Liturgi, konversioner och genus i den efterreformatoriska katolska kyrkan i Norden}},
volume = {{2023}},
year = {{2023}},
}