Alien Rites?: A Critical Examination of Contemporary English in Anglican Liturgies

by Peter N. Davies

Peter Davies examines some of the issues arising from the recent introduction of contemporary English language into Anglican worship, especially in the authorised liturgy of England and New Zealand. Three key questions are addressed. Are there criteria for worship which are satisfactorily fulfilled by contemporary language? To what extent is the language used in modern liturgies truly contemporary, reflecting its social and cultural milieu? How has the introduction of contemporary language been received by regular Anglican worshippers? Based on a large body of evidence, the author reaches conclusions which are both reassuring and disturbing.

264 pages, Hardcover

First published December 1, 2005

About the author

Peter N. Davies is Emeritus Professor of Economic History at Liverpool University. A former President of both the International Commission for Maritime History and of the International Maritime Economic History Association, he has also served as a Visiting Professor at Musashi University, Tokyo, and at Shudo University, Hiroshima. His published works include studies of major Liverpool shipping companies and (with Tomohei Chida) of the Japanese shipping and shipbuilding industries.