Scholarly Reading
7/30/26
Bouyer, Louis. (1968). "Ch. 8: The West Syrian Liturgy: The Apostolic Constitutions and the Liturgy of Saint James." (pp. 244-280). In Eucharist: Theology and Spirituality of the Eucharistic Prayer. Notre Dame, IN: University of Notre Dame. (Personal Library)
Bouyer begins this chapter with his presupposition that at some point in early Christianity "the service of prayers and readings and the eucharistic meal were combined into one" and that the liturgy of Rome and Alexandria were "practically universal in the Church" (Bouyer 1968, p. 244). However, in the fourth century a different type of eucharistic liturgy emerged in Western Syria, which Bouyer calls "profoundly different" though with "the same elements" (Bouyer 1968, p. 244). These liturgies are found in the 8th book of Apostolic Constitutions (frequently also called the Clementine liturgy), as well as in the Liturgy of St. James.
Though some scholarship has attempted to consider the West Syrian liturgies "original," Bouyer considers this "the most curious aberration conceivable" (Bouyer 1968, p. 246). He takes the level of development to be far too advanced to have come from the earliest Christian period. Bouyer proceeds for several pages to discuss distinctions between a Hebraic form of expression, which features compact statements in short sentences, with the complex Greek periodic writing. The composition of Apostolic Constitutions decidedly follows the Greek patterns rather than the Hebraic ones (Bouyer 1968, p. 250).
The eucharistic liturgy from Apostolic Constitutions, though lengthy, could well be done in about 15 minutes, which strikes Bouyer as a reasonable period, considering the importance of the eucharist and the breadth of the prayers (Bouyer 1968, p. 251). The comprehensive nature of the liturgy is striking. Theological claims are specific and concise.
Bouyer reproduces Apostolic Constitutions book 8 in an English version, inserting a few comments on the different sections, which consist of an introduction followed by prayers arranged in a trinitarian scheme (Bouyer 1968, pp. 253 ff). In the portion pertaining to the Father, we note especially that his work of creation takes place through the Son, who is also presented as the Logos of God (Bouyer 1968, p. 258). The portion pertaining to the Son focuses on the paradoxes inherent in Jesus' full divinity and humanity, as well as on Jesus' earthly works of ministry (Bouyer 1968, p. 262). The third portion, pertaining to the Holy Spirit, incorporates the institution narrative (Bouyer 1968, p. 265). There follow prayers for specific individuals and situations, which vary based on place and time (Bouyer 1968, p. 267).
Bouyer next turns his attention to the liturgy of St. James, which he takes to be a later synthesis of material from Apostolic Constitutions (Bouyer 1968, p. 268). It is a more compact liturgy, with many allusions to Jerusalem. The liturgy of St. James was used for many years throughout the East, before being replaced by liturgies attributed to Basil and to Chrysostom (Bouyer 1968, p. 269). The liturgy, while showing an economy of arrangement, still contains extensive and broad ranging intercessions (Bouyer 1968, p. 277). This combination of extensive prayer and precise structure strikes Bouyer as something which would take many years to develop (Bouyer 1968, p. 278).
7/30/26
Bouyer, Louis. (1968). "Ch. 8: The West Syrian Liturgy: The Apostolic Constitutions and the Liturgy of Saint James." (pp. 244-280). In Eucharist: Theology and Spirituality of the Eucharistic Prayer. Notre Dame, IN: University of Notre Dame. (Personal Library)
Bouyer begins this chapter with his presupposition that at some point in early Christianity "the service of prayers and readings and the eucharistic meal were combined into one" and that the liturgy of Rome and Alexandria were "practically universal in the Church" (Bouyer 1968, p. 244). However, in the fourth century a different type of eucharistic liturgy emerged in Western Syria, which Bouyer calls "profoundly different" though with "the same elements" (Bouyer 1968, p. 244). These liturgies are found in the 8th book of Apostolic Constitutions (frequently also called the Clementine liturgy), as well as in the Liturgy of St. James.
Though some scholarship has attempted to consider the West Syrian liturgies "original," Bouyer considers this "the most curious aberration conceivable" (Bouyer 1968, p. 246). He takes the level of development to be far too advanced to have come from the earliest Christian period. Bouyer proceeds for several pages to discuss distinctions between a Hebraic form of expression, which features compact statements in short sentences, with the complex Greek periodic writing. The composition of Apostolic Constitutions decidedly follows the Greek patterns rather than the Hebraic ones (Bouyer 1968, p. 250).
The eucharistic liturgy from Apostolic Constitutions, though lengthy, could well be done in about 15 minutes, which strikes Bouyer as a reasonable period, considering the importance of the eucharist and the breadth of the prayers (Bouyer 1968, p. 251). The comprehensive nature of the liturgy is striking. Theological claims are specific and concise.
Bouyer reproduces Apostolic Constitutions book 8 in an English version, inserting a few comments on the different sections, which consist of an introduction followed by prayers arranged in a trinitarian scheme (Bouyer 1968, pp. 253 ff). In the portion pertaining to the Father, we note especially that his work of creation takes place through the Son, who is also presented as the Logos of God (Bouyer 1968, p. 258). The portion pertaining to the Son focuses on the paradoxes inherent in Jesus' full divinity and humanity, as well as on Jesus' earthly works of ministry (Bouyer 1968, p. 262). The third portion, pertaining to the Holy Spirit, incorporates the institution narrative (Bouyer 1968, p. 265). There follow prayers for specific individuals and situations, which vary based on place and time (Bouyer 1968, p. 267).
Bouyer next turns his attention to the liturgy of St. James, which he takes to be a later synthesis of material from Apostolic Constitutions (Bouyer 1968, p. 268). It is a more compact liturgy, with many allusions to Jerusalem. The liturgy of St. James was used for many years throughout the East, before being replaced by liturgies attributed to Basil and to Chrysostom (Bouyer 1968, p. 269). The liturgy, while showing an economy of arrangement, still contains extensive and broad ranging intercessions (Bouyer 1968, p. 277). This combination of extensive prayer and precise structure strikes Bouyer as something which would take many years to develop (Bouyer 1968, p. 278).
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