Eucharist Shaping and Hebert Liturgy and Society ─ Church, Mission and Personhood

The contemporary Church of England is wrestling with issues around the relationship between its worship and mission and relating both to wider society. Much of this hinges on an understanding of the nature of the Church. Gabriel Heberta€?s seminal book Liturgy and Society (1935) took as its subtitle, a€?The Function of the Church in the Modern Worlda€?. For many this book inspired engagement with Eucharistic worship, with new patterns emerging, paving the way for further liturgical reform in the second half of the twentieth century. Eucharist Shaping and Heberta€?s Liturgy and Society re-examines Heberta€?s work, doing so uniquely in the light of the current dialogue about Church, liturgy and mission. Andrew Bishop argues that Heberta€?s contribution has been overlooked latterly and that a re-appreciation opens up fruitful ways of thinking and acting, making this book a distinctive contribution to a lively debate. If the options are reaction or novelty, Eucharist Shaping and Heberta€?s Liturgy and Society shows how Heberta€?s thinking subtly undermines both.

Andrew Bishop is a priest of the Church of England. He has served in parishes in London and Basingstoke over fifteen years. Andrew obtained an MTh in Pastoral Theology from Heythrop College, London and DThMin from Kinga€?s College, London. He is currently a Residentiary Canon of Guildford Cathedral and Anglican and Coordinating Chaplain to the University of Surrey. He is a member of the Alcuin Club and Society for Liturgical Study.