Liturgies Eastern and Western (Hammond)

and Saint Chrysostom’s Liturgies, to compare with the Barberini Codex One of the oldest surviving manuscripts of Eastern Christian liturgies, dating to the late 8th century. of the same.

Meanwhile, however, the materials that do exist have probably not been thoroughly researched. It is more than likely that a systematic investigation of the early church writers might provide more help than has previously been suspected for a comparative study of the subject. But then, the student must first be reasonably familiar not only with the principles of Liturgiology The formal study of religious rituals and worship services., but with the actual words of the formularies The official set of words or forms used in religious services.. This is necessary to be able to identify and make use of a passing hint or a subtle reference; for the student will find very few direct statements regarding this subject. Again, the Oriental Liturgies, from which great results might be expected through critical study, need to be examined by people who are not only competent scholars in their respective languages, but who are also technical experts in liturgy. These two qualifications have not often been found together. A person who is unfamiliar with the technical language of liturgies and the principles of ritual will not be a reliable guide, no matter how good a linguist he may be.

For a long time, there has been a very great difficulty, at least for young students, in beginning a study of the Liturgies. There is no handbook or introduction to the subject, nor has there even been any available edition of the texts. Dr. Neale’s small edition of the five Greek Liturgies, and the translation of the same by Dr. Neale and Dr. Littledale, are almost the only books that are not out of print; consequently, other books command higher prices each year as the demand increases. The Syrian, Coptic, and Ethiopic Liturgies must still be studied in the Latin versions provided by Renaudot Eusèbe Renaudot (1646–1720), a French theologian whose collection of Eastern liturgies remained a standard reference for centuries., which is a costly book. Meanwhile, as for the Western Liturgies, there is not one book, as far as I know, within the reach of an ordinary student to which he may turn for information.