Explore the origins, history, and structure of liturgies across East and West, with clear, careful analysis.
This handbook surveys how diverse liturgical rites arose, evolved, and relate to each other, focusing on their form, practice, and historic development.
This edition presents a concise, accessible overview of major liturgical families, from Roman to Mozarabic, Gallican, and Ambrosian, and shows how editors and scholars compare the rituals that shaped Christian worship. It emphasizes the similarities and differences in structure, language, and ceremonial practice, while outlining key sources and canons used by historians of liturgy.
- Learn how liturgies are organized, from collects and readings to the distribution of Communion.
- See how East and West influenced each other through shared elements and distinct adaptations.
- Understand the kinds of evidence scholars use to trace liturgical history and development.
- Discover how different rites were described, compared, and analyzed by past and present editors.
Ideal for readers of church history, liturgy, and religious studies who seek a grounded, reference-ready introduction to liturgical origins and structure.