New special committee on liturgy
Getting an overview of the rich liturgical variety in the church
Many Danish churches offer "Babysalmesang", Hymn singing with babies. The photo is from Lindevang Kirke close to Copenhagen. Credit: Sille Arendt/Københavns Stift.
Much has happened since 1992 when it comes to liturgy in the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Denmark. New prayers, hymns and bible translations have been introduced. There has also been a rise in new forms of church services. These services take place not just on Sundays but also on common weekdays, for example family-friendly weekday services, baptism services, music services, open air services and after hours services.
But what is actually happening? Which new forms and liturgies are there to be encountered in the church? The bishops decided to establish a liturgy committee to get an overview of these. The liturgy committee consists of 3 special committees, a committee for church service, a committee for baptism and Eucharist and a committee for general matters concerning liturgy.
Each committee consists of 10-12 experts such as pastors, organists, university researchers and representatives of the church’s educational institutions.
There will be a conference held about hymns and new church new music taking place in 2017 and when the committees’ work is concluded by the end of 2018, its work will form the basis for a broader public debate about liturgy, rituals, and music in the church.
