The Dramatic Liturgy of Anglo-Saxon England

An examination of the liturgical rituals of the high festivals of the year and their reflection in the secular church. This volume presents an examination of the liturgical rituals of the high festivals from Christmas to Ascension in late Anglo-Saxon England, particularly in the secular church. It expands the current knowledge of liturgical practice in a period where there is little direct evidence, using vernacular homilies and sermons - important but neglected sources of information - to explore the extent to which monastic practices were extended to the secular church.The performative nature of litury and its spiritual, emotional and educative value receive particular attention; the author argues that preachers were often unconsciously influenced by the liturgical experience of an episode rather than by the biblical narrative which they were ostensibly retelling. M. BRADFORD BEDINGFIELD gained his D.Phil. at Oxford University.