liturgistit

Liturgistit are scholars and practitioners who specialize in liturgy, the organized forms of public worship in Christian churches and other religious communities. The field, often called liturgics or liturgiology, studies how worship is organized, celebrated, and experienced. It covers theological interpretation of rites, the liturgical calendar, prayers and sacraments, liturgical music and art, sacred space, and the practices by which worship is taught and transmitted.

Liturgists work in academia, seminaries, and churches, and may also engage with ecumenical bodies. Their activities include researching the historical development of liturgical rites, producing or revising worship texts, and advising congregations on planning and improving services. They analyze liturgical language for clarity and inclusivity, examine the function of ritual actions, and consider how material culture—books, vessels, architecture—shapes worship.

Education typically involves graduate study in theology, religious studies, or liturgics; many practitioners hold positions as professors, pastors, writers, or consultants. Beyond scholarship, liturgists often collaborate with clergy, musicians, and theologians to prepare services, lectionaries, and sacramental celebrations.

The field has an international dimension with scholarly societies such as Societas Liturgica. Liturgists contribute to ecumenical dialogue by comparing rites across traditions and helping to adapt worship texts while respecting doctrinal boundaries. Their work supports meaningful, historically informed, and culturally relevant worship practices in diverse religious communities.