Gail Ramshaw – författare

"Liturgical language" denotes those words used by Christians in their communal praise and prayer. Liturgical language is often metaphoric, as metaphors help us explain the unexplainable they help the human mind contemplate the divine. Problems with liturgical language occur when these metaphors exclude some Christians when their aim should instead be to bring all Christians into communion with God. Recognizing that both metaphoric and inclusive language are necessary in Christian worship, Ramshaw clarifies how these need not be contradictory criteria for forming liturgical language.Through a review of the history of language, Ramshaw illustrates the difficulties of forming texts from words that have undergone numerous translations and whose primary meanings have also changed throughout the centuries. An examination of trends in generic American English, the vernacular on which liturgical texts are to be built, reveals two tasks for liturgists: the arduous work of retranslating liturgical texts and the creative work of crafting intercessions, hymns, and homilies that are inclusive in language. Her discussion of symbolic imagery and theological language illustrates how essential it is that words be evaluated and chosen with understanding and care.Ramshaw writes for those who find beauty and truth in metaphor and for those who strive to invite everyone to the Eucharistic banquet. She encourages all who formulate liturgical language to contemplate with seriousness and Vision the ultimate objective of this language so that it can speak with meaning and beauty to all.

How might Ambrose of Milan, Hildegard of Bingen, and Catherine of Siena inspire us to improve Sunday worship? What about Lawrence, John of Damascus, Thomas Cranmer, Johannes Kepler, Margaret Fell, and Dorothy Day? Even Amy Carmichael can point our assemblies toward more profound worship. In Saints on Sunday, Lutheran laywoman Gail Ramshaw, listening to twenty-four sainted voices, proposes how our past might enliven our future. Characterized by rigorous scholarship and no-nonsense honesty, her essays suggest ways to enrich the gathering, word, meal, and sending of our assemblies on Sunday.

Fifty liturgical scholars - Roman Catholic, Episcopal, and Lutheran - have authored these intercessory prayers for each Sunday of the three-year cycle to expand the resources available to local pastors. The authors have been guided by the traditional pattern of prayers of the faithful. All language is inclusive.

The increasing desire among Christians to pray in inclusive language has resulted in the publication of this inclusive language psalter. The editors have selected the 1979 Book of Common Prayer as the basis for their psalter. Techniques for changing all the non-inclusive language to inclusive language were carefully wrought and judiciously applied, in keeping with common sense, biblical scholarship, and the ancient Hebrew liturgical principle that holds in high respect the majesty of God's name.Every effort has been made to render the lines in a flowing, euphonious manner, well phrased for chanting. Since different communions practice variant methods of chanting, this volume includes an essay which offers instruction in four methods of pointing these psalms.