Contextualisation of Anglican liturgical worship in Sri Lanka with the use of cultural symbols

ABSTRACT

This study was conducted as research on the intertwining of faith and culture. The main question for the study was to find how cultural symbolism depicted in liturgies was understood and approached within the context of worship and culture. The Sri Lankan Anglican Church has promoted the contextualisation of liturgies and worship from its political independence and has also become progressive in developing indigenous liturgies. Through liturgies, much of the religious-cultural context is reflected and contextual theologies are introduced. In that regard, this will be beneficial to practical theology. This research had a documentary study and an empirical element. The sample population for the study was the Diocese of Kurunagala, which is one-half of the Anglican Church in Sri Lanka. For the empirical study data collection tools of Google Forms, interviews and focus group discussions took place across cross-cultural congregations with a focus on participatory action research. The results received indicated a close relationship between worship and culture, the need for further education on theological connections, community awareness, and action as well as visible ventures such as an open museum. There is a need for further research and dissemination of contextualised liturgies and also studying factors that are leading towards local expressions of worship.

KEYWORDS:

• Sri Lanka
• Anglican
• liturgies
• culture
• symbols

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Notes on contributors

R. T. B. Abeysinghe

R. T. B. Abeysinghe is Lecturer of the Theological College of Lanka, Pilimatalawa, Sri Lanka.