The Theology of Liturgical Music
Liturgical music has taken many forms over the centuries, but what is its purpose in the Mass? We know that song is elevated speech and liturgical music goes far beyond the usual four hymns that we sing on Sundays. In fact, the Trinity are constantly praising each other in the eternal love song of the Sacred Liturgy. In this course you will learn the definition and nature of liturgical music and finally to how we view it from with the context of the Sacred Liturgy today.
Course Curriculum
Your Instructor
Dr. Denis McNamara is an Associate Professor and the Executive Director of the Center for Beauty and Culture at Benedictine College in Atchison, Kansas. He is the former Academic Director of the Liturgical Institute. He holds a BA in the History of Art from Yale University and a PhD in Architectural History from the University of Virginia, where he concentrated his research on the study of ecclesiastical architecture with Richard Guy Wilson and Carroll William Westfall.
Dr. McNamara makes a specialty of bridging the gap between the Church’s great artistic tradition and the documents of the Second Vatican Council. He has also done groundbreaking research on scriptural understandings of architecture and the sacramental meaning of the classical architectural tradition.
He is the author Heavenly City: The Architectural Tradition of Catholic Chicago, Catholic Church Architecture and the Spirit of the Liturgy, and How to Read Churches: A Crash Course In Christian which was published in eight languages.
An experienced singer, Dr. McNamara has been a member of numerous large and small vocal ensembles for over three decades. He has led training classes in liturgical singing and teaches the Liturgical Institute’s course on the documents of sacred music.