liturgist

A liturgist is a person who studies, designs, interprets, and leads the public rites and worship of a religious community. The term covers both scholars of liturgical studies and practitioners who plan and supervise worship services. In many contexts a liturgist may be clergy, a lay church administrator, or an academic working in theology or religious studies.

Liturgists perform a range of duties, including researching historical and contemporary rites, calendars, symbolism, and ritual theology; composing or selecting prayers, readings, music, and other elements of worship; planning service structure, liturgical actions, vestments, and the use of sacred objects; coordinating with clergy, musicians, and lay ministers; advising congregations on inclusivity, accessibility, and contextual adaptation of liturgies.

Training and careers typically involve formal study in theology, religious studies, or liturgical studies, often at graduate level. Employment may occur in universities and seminaries, churches and dioceses, publishing houses, or liturgical consulting firms. Many liturgists publish scholarly work, lead seminars, or develop worship resources and training programs for communities.

Historically, the role emerged with the growth of liturgical scholarship and reforms in Christianity, including movements emphasizing active participation and vernacular language. While most commonly associated with Christian worship, liturgists study and engage with liturgical traditions across faith communities, contributing to ritual studies, ecumenism, and interfaith dialogue.