Dr Jeffrey Truscott recently attended the congress of Societas Liturgica, an international ecumenical society of liturgical scholars and others involved in the teaching and practice of Christian worship. Meeting under the theme of “Symbol of What We Are: Liturgical Perspectives on Sacramentality” this year’s congress took place August 7 to 12 at KU Leuven, the Dutch-speaking arm of the University of Leuven in Belgium. The congress offered three levels of presentations: (1) “major presentations” by invited speakers (e.g., “The Principle of Sacramentality: Revelation of the Divinity and the Humanity of God ” by Elbatrina Clauteaux of France, and “Religious Symbolism and Sacramentality in Non-Western Christianity” by Kwabena Asamoah-Gyadu of Ghana); (2) submitted “papers” on the main congress theme (e.g., “The Sacramentality of the Word,” by John Baldovin, S.J, from the USA), and (3) “short communications” on a range of topics not necessarily related to the congress theme. Dr Truscott gave a short communication entitled “The Influence of Japanese Culture on Church Architecture in Japan,” which summarized some of his research for a book on Asian church architecture.

In addition to scholarly papers, the Societas congress included a visit to the ecumenical Abbey of Chevetogne, a monastery housing both western (Roman Catholic) and Eastern Orthodox monastic communities. Participants learned about the impressive bells in the Orthodox chapel, and were also given an introduction to the life and work of the monastery’s most famous monk, Dom Lambert Beaudouin, who is considered a pioneer in the “liturgical movement” of the twentieth century. The day concluded with a trip to another famous Belgium monastery, the Keizersberg Abbey in Leuven, where participants feasted on local fare in the cloistered hallways.

Corporate worship was a central aspect of the congress, with an opening service taking place in the impressive St Peter church in the “Old Market” and daily prayer in the St Michael church adjacent to the KU Leuven facilities. A highlight was the ecumenical eucharist service at Leuven’s St John the Baptist church during which the Society’s President, Dr Martin Stuflesser (Germany), preached and presided.

Dr Truscott comments that “it was a great joy to share this time of intellectual reflection and worship with world-renowned scholars in the area of liturgical studies.” A member of Societas since 2001, he looks forward to the next congress in Durham, UK, in 2021.

*Photos (clockwise from the top):

1. Opening Welcome to the society at Promotion Hall, Catholic University of Leuven
2. Congress participants walking toward the Orthodox chapel at Chevetogne Abbey
3. St Michael’s Church, Leuven, Belgium, site of daily prayer for Societas Liturgica Congress 2017
4. From left to right the people are: Toshimitsu Miyakoshi, Secretary for the Committee for the Liturgy, Roman Catholic Bishops’ Conference, Japan; Shintaro Ichihara, lecturer St Paul’s Seminary, Tokyo, Anglican Church in Japan; Dr Jeffrey Truscott; (Standing behind Dr Truscott) Zhou Yong Ci (MDiv 2010, MTh 2013), Lecturer, East China Theological Seminary, Shanghai, MTh directee of Dr Truscott.
5. St Peter’s Church, Leuven, Belgium, site of opening service for Societas Liturgica Congress 2017
6. Aula Maior, venue for Major Presentations, Societas Liturgica Congress, 2017