The Shape of the Liturgy

Second Edition

by Dom Gregory Dix
Published in 1945

History
Sacraments
Eucharist
Liturgy
Mass
Rubrics

Title page (PDF)
Introduction (PDF)
I. The Liturgy and the Eucharistic Action (PDF): The Liturgy and its Shape-The Liturgical Tradition
II. The Performance of the Liturgy (PDF): Saying and Doing-Public and Private-The 'Church'-The Worshippers
III. The Classical Shape of the Liturgy I. The Synaxis, or Liturgy of the Spirit(PDF): Synaxis and Eucharist-The Synaxis, or Liturgy of the Spirit
IV. Eucharist and Lord's Supper (PDF): The 'Four-Action' Shape of the Eucharist-The Last Supper - The Meaning of the Last Supper-The Primitive Eucharist-The Lord's Supper or Agape-The Separation of the Eucharist from the Agape
V.II. Eucharist (PDF): The Pre-Nicene Eucharist-The Greeting and Kiss of Peace - The Offertory-The Rinsing of the Hands-The Imposition of Hands on the Elements-The Eucharistic Dialogue and Prayer - The Amen-The Lord's Prayer-The Fraction-The Communion - The Ablutions
VI. The Pre-Nicene Background of the Liturgy (PDF)
VII. The Eucharist Prayer (PDF): i. The Roman Tradition - ii. The Egyptian Tradition-Prayer of Oblation of Bishop Sarapion. iii. The Syrian Tradition-The Liturgy of SS. Addai and Mari - The Liturgy of S. James-The Rite of Jerusalem in the Fourth Century-The Rite of Antioch in the Fourth Century
VIII. Behind the Local Traditions (PDF): The Present State of the Question-The Primitive Nucleus of the Prayer-The Second Half of the Prayer-A Critical Reconstruction of the Traditional Theory
IX. The Meaning of the Eucharist (PDF): Consecration and Sacrifice - The Eucharist as Anamnesis - The Eucharist as Action - The Eucharist as Manifestation - Escatology - 'The Spirit' and Escatology
X. The Theology of Consecration (PDF): The 'Liturgy' of the Celebrant - The Function of Prayer in the Eucharistic Action-Fourth Century Ideas of Consecrations. Cyril's Doctrine of Consecration and the Rite of Jerusalem The Invocation of the Spirit-The Invocation as effecting the 'Resurrection'-The 'Eastern' and the 'Western' ethos-The Tradition of Asia Minor?-The 'Great Entrance' and the Preparation of the Elements-The Invocation in the modem Eastern Rites Additional Note:-The Eastern Teaching on the Invocation
XI. The Sanctification of Time (PDF): From a Private to a Public Worship-The Coming of Monasticism and the Divine Office-The Development of the Christian Calendar: (a) the Pre-Nicene Calendar; (b) the Post-Nicene Calendar - The Organisation of the Propers-Saints' Days in the Post-Nicene Calendar-The Fourth Century and the Liturgy
XII. The Development of Ceremonial (PDF): Vestments-Insignia-Lights-Incense-Sununary
XIIIThe Completion of the Shape of the Liturgy (PDF): Chart: synaxis development (PDF); Shape of the Synaxis. The Introduction. i. The 'Far Eastern' Introduction; ii. The Egyptian; iii. The Greek; iv. The Western: a. At Rome; b. Outside Rome: Milan; Spain; Gaul-The Lections and Chants-The Prayer after the Sermon. C. The Junction of Synaxis and Eucharist. The Invention of Litanies-The Veil and the Screen-The Creed-The Prayer 'of the Day'-Offertory Chants-Offertory Prayers-The 'Names' and the 'Diptychs'. D. The Completionof the Shape of the Eucharist. In Egypt-In Syria -In the Byzantine Rite-In Africa-The Roman Communion Blessing-In Spain-In Gaul-The Roman Post-Communion -The Western Conclusion. E. The 'Third Stratum'
XIV.Variable Prayers at the Eucharist (PDF): In the Eastern Rites - In the Western Rites - The Preface and Sanctus
XV. The Mediaeval Development (PDF): Western Rites. The French and Spanish Rites-The Italian Rites-Gelasian Sacramentary-Leonine Sacramentary-Italian Local Rites-Gregorian Sacramentary-The Western Synthesis The Reforms of Charlemagne-The English Influence-The Work of Alcuin-The End of the Gallican Rite-The Adoption of Alcuin's Missal-The Western Missal-Mediaeval and Post-Mediaeval Developments-Uniformity-The Mediaeval Presentation of the Liturgy-Lay Religion in the Dark and Middle Ages - Lay Communions-Later Mediaeval Eucharistic Devotion - Mediaeval Liturgy; Additional Note:-Mediaeval Eucharistic Devotions for Layfolk and the Protestant Conception of the Eucharist
XVI. The Reformation and the Anglican Liturgy (PDF): The Post-Mediaeval Crisis - The Reformation - Archbishop Cranmer - Cranmer's Liturgical Work-The Anglican Settlement Additional Note:-The Present Liturgical Position in the Church of England
XVII. 'Throughout all Ages, World without End' (PDF)

This document is part of The Global Library,
from the The Southern Province USA of the North American Old Catholic Church.

Additional funding provided by The Wynn and Rick Wagner Foundation.