Geschiedenis van de liturgiewetenschap in Nederland. Een aanzet en opzet voor een historiografisch onderzoeksproject

Abstract

Liturgical studies is one of the newer disciplines within theology. In the Netherlands this field of study developed in the context of the Liturgical Movement especially, and became a full and independent academic discipline in the second half of the twentieth century. The short history of this field of study probably explains the lack of a historical overview, but does in no way justify the lack of scientific history. The importance of a historiographical overview is increasing due to the fact that liturgical studies have in the past years been a subject of discussion in a number of respects, and because within the field of study itself debates are taking place on its nature, method, procedure and object. In order to find out the current position of the field of study an overview of its genesis and development is relevant. A study of the history of the discipline could be clarifying when considering the course to be taken, as is the case at present. After all, the identity of the discipline is partly determined by tradition in the field of study. In this article a rough sketch is given of a broadly set up and ecumenically oriented historiographical research programme. Following a sketch of the development of the field of study, the present international debate on the identity and profile of the discipline is discussed, after which a number of aspects of the ecumenical approach to the field of liturgical studies are described. Then the historical research programme is outlined on the basis of an inventory of a number of separate subjects and projects that require further research. In the research programme presented here the emphasis is not placed upon the study of institutions and organisations, but it has been decided to study the discipline via the line of approach of those who have practised the profession. The institutional and organisational elements are introduced through these people, and the development of the content of the study can be deduced from the subjects with which they were occupied, the themes they elaborated and the method of questioning used.