


This year's keynote speaker at Leitourgia is John Bell. Bell is a clergyman in the Church of Scotland, an honorary doctorate from the University of Glasgow, a member of the Iona Community and founder of the Wild Goose Resource Group (over 30 years ago with the late Graham Maule). For a lifetime he has written hymns that are known all over the world. For just as long he has worked with liturgical renewal at the grassroots level, with Celtic-inspired thinking and theology as a source for congregationally engaging, life-like liturgy and renewal of worship life, and with the prophetic responsibility of the church.
His lecture and other contributions during the conference will be in English.
This year’s key note speaker will be John Bell. Bell is a Minister in the Church of Scotland, has an honorary doctorate at the University of Glasgow, is a member of the Iona Community and founder of the Wild Goose Ressource Group (more than 30 years ago together with the late Graham Maule) His hymns are known worldwide. All his life he has been working with liturgical renewal at a grassroot level, with the celtic inspired thinking and theology as a source for contextual and participatory congregational life and relevant liturgy, and the prophetic responsibility of the church”
%20copy.webp?etag=W%2F%2223b32-19d8bc56de8%22&sourceContentType=image%2Fwebp&ignoreAspectRatio&resize=550%2B550)
John Bell's lecture will be
Tirsdag 31. oktober 19.45- 21: ”The singing thing – improving congregational singing”
Why is congregational singing so important that we should put so much effort into this? What helps people to trust their voices and each other’s voices? Is hymnsinging not only an expression of our common faith – does it also “shape” or “create” our faith?
Onsdag 1. November 11-12: “Living with the Psalms”.
The Psalms are texts and prayers that Jesus knew and used. The book “Living with the Psalms” was published in 2020 and is the fruit of the John Bell’s lifelong engagement with the Psalms. In the book and in this lecture he explores the Psalms as they relate to daily life, drawing on stories and personal testimonies to help us to rejoice, grieve or draw encouragement from this most extraordinary and fascinating collection of sacred poems and songs.
Onsdag 1. november 19.30-21: “Big Sing”
Together with John Bell and Betty and Peter Arendt we will use the voices, we were given, and just sing. Here is one of John Bell’s quotes on “the singing thing”: "I had to overcome a kind of great complex I had with my voice, and realize that I hadn't been given a voice which was meant to sooth millions, but I was given a voice which was to enable other people. I'm not a performer, it means that you're free to use your voice in such a way as it enables other people - no matter how bad they think they are - to think they can do better. Sometimes my voice will crack or break, and people will think, 'Poor soul. We'll need to give him a hand,' and then they join in."
Torsdag 2. November 14.30-16: “Prophecy, protest and praise”
On the need for prophecy, protest, praise and lament in liturgy and hymns. A challenge to the neat-ness of the church. Courage to be contextual.

In recent years, Iben Krogsdal has continued to write poetry based on a number of traditional hymns. She will talk about the work of writing based on a deep tradition, where texts - now as before - give birth to new texts. What is the relationship between old and new in a hymn - and is there anything happening with theology in new hymns?
Iben Krogsdal is known in Denmark especially as a hymn poet. Her experiential, innovative and present hymns are known, loved and sung all over the country. This applies to both completely new hymns - and, for example, the hymns that were written in 2017 as re- and counter-poetry of Luther's hymns.
She is also a fiction writer, has a PhD in religious studies, and has researched modern people's religiosity, their preoccupation with psychology and their relationship to Christianity. This research has been published in the books "The New Myths" and "The Maybe Christians".
Presentation of Iben Krogsdal
Translating, updating or growing poetry? – Wednesday November 1st 1.30
For years Iben Krogsdal has written new lyrics for traditional hymns, inspired by the old. In her talk she will share with us how it is to write as part of a profound tradition where new lyrics – now as ever – are born from older lyrics. How does the old and the new relate to one another? And what happens to the theology in new hymns?
Iben Krogsdal is a wellknown hymnwriter in Denmark. Her hymns are creative and grounded in human experience, both in regard to completely new hymns and hymns that spring from tradition, like her re-writings of hymns by Luther in 2017.
She is also an author of fiction and has a ph. d. In religious science; she has done research in the field of modern religiousity, looking at how people today relate to psychology and Christianity, see thes

Song as a primordial human form of expression – Wednesday, November 1, 4:30 PM.
Singing is a fundamental human form of expression that creates community, accompanies us from cradle to grave and helps us express what we cannot say ourselves. In all cultures and at all times, people have sung. During Covid-19, the Danes rediscovered the power of communal singing to unite, strengthen and comfort. From the war in Ukraine, videos of singing in shelters have gone viral. These are examples of how singing is much more than entertainment, coziness and pastime. In this lecture, we will examine some of the reasons for the power of singing – not least what it gives us to sing together.
Lea Wierød Borčak is a senior researcher and communicator at the Center for Grundtvig Research, Aarhus University, and the Knowledge Center for Song at Sangens Hus. Since 2011, she has researched song, including hymnology, the relationship between text and melody in hymns and songs, and folk community singing culture. In 2023, she will begin a major research project with partners at Aarhus University on Danish song culture and social inclusion and exclusion in community singing.
Presentation of Lea Wierød Borcak.
Song as a fundamental human way of expression – Wednesday November 1st 4.30.
Song is a fundamenta, human way of expression; it creates a sense of community, accompanies us from cradle to grave, and helps us to express that which we cannot say ourselves. In all cultures and all times there has been singing. During the Covid-19 pandemic the Danes rediscovered how singing together had a certain power to unite and provide strength and comfort. Videos from the war in Ukraine of people singing in emergency shelters have gone viral. These are examples of singing being much more that entertainment, fun and pastime. In this lecture, we will explore some of the reasons for the power of song – not least what it means for us to sing together.
Lea Wierød Borcak is a Senior Researcher and educator at the Grundtvig Study Center at Aarhus University, and at the Center for Song at The House of Song. Since 2011 she has done research in the field of song, including hymnology, the relationship between text and melody in hymns and songs, and the popular culture of singing together. Together with colleagues at Aarhus University in 2023 she begins a large scale research project on the Danish culture of singing and social in- and exclusion in singing together.
Wings of Dawn – when the songs continue to sing within you. Friday 3 November 10.45-11.45

We often refer to Arne Andreasen as a “pop poet”, and this is said with both warmth and great respect. He writes both lyrics and music in the pop genre, and they are sung both in churches and many other places. His hymns and songs can be found in the High School Songbook, the hymnal supplement “100 Psalms” and the High School Songbook. In 2017 he wrote the pop mass “It is we who are here – under the stars of heaven”, with hymns based on the classic liturgical lines. It can be found on various music services, as can, for example, “Morgenrødens Vinger”, which is written based on Psalm 139 in the Old Testament.
Arne Andreasen is part of the management team around the Emmaus course center.
Morgenrødens vinger – Wings of dawning – songs that keep singing in you.
Friday November 3rd 10.45-11.45
Presentation Arne Andreasen
We often call Arne Andreasen “pop-poet”, and it is said with both warmth and great respect. He is a singer/songwriter writing in the genre of pop, and his songs and hymns are widely used, also in churches. They are found in “Højskolesangbogen”, the most used Danish songbook, containing songs and hymns – and in a lot of other hymnbooks and songbooks. In 2017 he even wrote a pop-mass with a free rewriting of the classic liturgical parts of the mass. Along with for example “Morgenrødens Vinger” it can be found on the internet.
Arne Andreasen is part of the team that leads the conferencecenter Emmaus.

teol.dr. i systematisk teologi vid Uppsala universitet, präst i Svenska kyrkan.
Båda lungorna behövs - också i Svenska kyrkan. Om mitt sökande efter en levande dopteologi när hela Skapelsen ropar.
Som många vet anspelar jag i min titel för föredraget på ett uttalande från påven Johannes Paulus II. Han såg den östliga och den västliga kristna traditionen som två lungor i nära samverkan för Kyrkans liv och hälsa. Min erfarenhet är att vi som tillhör den västliga traditionen också bör låta oss förnyas av den östliga traditionens rikedomar inte bara på avstånd utan här och nu.
Egentligen började jag inte i den ändan, utan det var mera resultatet av mitt arbete med doktorsavhandlingen om dopet. Jag upptäckte att jag inte klarade mig utan inspirationen från de östliga bilderna, tankarna, erfarenheterna. Kanske kan jag mycket väl anklagas för att vara en eklektiker, men i det planetära nödläge som vi lever, behöver vi varandra. Allas traditioner är jordens gemensamma andliga rikedom. Den östliga traditionen har för mänskligheten omistliga gåvor, som jag hoppas att vi med respekt och öppenhet kan bruka tillsammans i klimatkrisens och den biologiska mångfaldens katastrof.
Vi måste ställa om våra fossilberoende samhällen. Vi måste göra något åt vår separation och överhöghet i relation till den övriga Skapelsen, men hur gör vi det? Kan sökandet efter en levande

assistant professor of church music, University of Eastern Finland
Liturgy, Tradition, Change – An Orthodox Perspective
Orthodox worship is often perceived, and perhaps intentionally portrayed by its adherents, as a monolith of tradition that has not changed much after the first millennium C.E., during which its liturgical ordo was formed. At the same time, worship in local Orthodox Churches, such as the Orthodox Church of Finland, may be notably vernacularized in terms of expression, aesthetics, and agency, for example. In this paper, I explore the coexistence of these two realities from the Finnish Orthodox perspective. How wide is the scope for change in Orthodox worship? What holds the liturgy together in changing society?

Professor of Practical Theology, University of Eastern Finland
Liturgy as lived religion: Communal and personal perspectives to lived religion among Orthodox Christian Finns
The Christian liturgy as a common prayer and worship is public and communal in its very nature. In Orthodox Christianity it is customary to locate the liturgy into the center of both communal and private religious life. In theory, private or personal religion should then orientate towards the communal, which shapes the private and in which personal religion finds its fulfilment.
The Orthodox approach, however, is challenged by theories and studies on lived religion which tend to separate individual from the institutional, and official from private. Moreover, studies on sociology of religion indicate that there is a major change of religiousness especially in regard to individuals’ adherence to religious institutions, communal practices and common traditions.
Utilizing results of recent research among Orthodox Finns, I will look into the liturgy as an intersection of communal and personal religious life. Liturgy expressed and experienced as the lived religion of Orthodox Finns offers fruitful ways to evaluate both Orthodox theory on liturgy and trends of today’s religiosity.
View full brochure at
Facebook: Leitourgia - Nordic liturgical network
for more information on travel options Helsinki/Vivamo
The conference includes: lectures, seminars, study visits and church services. Participants choose a seminar group when registering and will be contacted by the seminar leader before the conference. The opportunity to contribute a paper may be available in the seminars. The conference language is Scandinavian. Two lectures will be in English.
Time: November 5th at 2:00 PM to November 8th at 1:00 PM
Location: Church building in Malmö, Fiskehamnsgatan 3, near Malmö Central Station.
Everything belongs to God – participation in liturgy and church.
In a world where people experience increasing economic, social and ethnic segregation, the church's task is to create participation, cross borders and open up for encounters between people where everyone's voice is valid. How can liturgy embody participation and inclusivity between people and between people and the living God?
The church is by its nature always locally rooted. It also borrows elements from other times and cultures, but it is at the same time recognizable across cultural boundaries through Christian worship. God is the God of history and speaks through the expression of local worship. The fundamental claim for worship has both its origin and goal in a divine mystery. The gospel challenges us to offer resistance to a culture that denies spiritual values and tramples on people's identity. The mission of the liturgy is to formulate a hope for a new world and to embody this in every worship service.
How can the church in its worship bear witness to “a new heaven and a new earth where righteousness dwells”? Through worship services, lectures, seminars and study visits, we want to examine and problematize these questions and hopefully inspire a local worship celebration.
The conference is mainly based in Malmö, the largest city in Skåne and an important regional centre, in southern Sweden. In modern times, Malmö has gone from being a working-class city with a shipyard at its centre to becoming a multicultural city with a university. Malmö belongs to the Diocese of Lund, which was founded in 1060 and is still characterised by the fact that the Reformation was carried out during the Danish period which ended in 1660.
Everything belongs to God – participation in liturgy and church.
In a world where people experience increasing economic, social and ethnic segregation the task of the church be to stimulate participation, cross borders, be a meeting place, and give voice to all people. How can liturgy shape inclusivity and participation between people and between people and the Living God?
The church is always local. Yet it borrows expressions from other time periods and cultures. At the same time it maintains its identity across cultural boarders through worship service. God is the God of history and speaks through the expression of the local service of worship. The fundamental claim for such service divine service is that it, at the same time, has its roots and it´s goal in the divine mystery. The Gospel challenges us to resist a culture that denies spiritual values and devalues of humanity. The task for Liturgy will be to speak the hope of new creation, repeatedly, in every service of worship.
How can the church, in its divine service, carry witness about “a new heaven and a new earth where there is righteousness”? At the conference we aim to investigate and problematize these questions through services, lectures, seminaries and excursions. We hope the conference will provide you with inspiration and ideas of how to perform localized worship, that you will be able to bring back to your own congregation.
for Leitourgia's board
Karin Sundmark
Chairman
Tønsberg, Norge: 6 – 9. november
Kirke og samfunn er i endring. Båndene mellom kirke og stat finner nye former. Et stadig mer multikulturelt samfunn gjør det nødvendig å gjennomtenke kirkens rolle i offentligheten på ny. Nye spørsmål blir satt på den politiske dagsorden som menighetene lokalt må svare på. Også gudstjenester og riter preges av endringene i våre omgivelser som også kirken er en del av. Samtidig bærer kirken i Norden med seg en tusenårig kristenarv som for mange representerer en viktig forankring både kulturelt og trosmessig. Pilegrimens evne til både å være forankret og underveis i stadig nye landskaper, kan være en nøkkel til å være kirke i vår tid. Tønsberg er Norges eldste by og formidler viktig innsikt om kristningsperioden for 1000 år siden. På historisk grunn åpner vi opp for noen av de mest sentrale spørsmålene om hvordan kirken og liturgien møter dagens utfordringer. Gjennom foredrag, seminarer, gudstjenester og kulturarrangementer ønsker vi å ta pulsen på kirkens evne til å adresse dagens utfordringer på en autentisk måte. Velkommen til å utforske dagens kirkevirkelighet i pilegrimsbyen Tønsberg.
Since the time of St Olav in the 11th century, Christian faith and rituals have had a great impact on civil life in Norway, as in the other Nordic countries. Both buildings and jurisdictions testify to how society and people changed through the adoption of new value systems. Worship on Sunday has been a societal corner stone for a thousand years.
History remains on the move. The relationship between the state and the folk churches is one of flux. A multicultural society challenges churches in northern Europe to rethink their mission. We are all liturgical pilgrims, each asking how the changes of our generation also influence worship and the cultural footprints of our faiths. As pilgrims, we may well question how church life might be both firmly grounded and on the move at the same time. Welcome to Leitourgia 2018 in Tønsberg, Norway.
On behalf of Leitourgia 2018
Jan Terje Christoffersen
Tønsberg ligger 100 km sør for Oslo ved innseilingen til Oslofjorden.
Årskonference i Aarhus 14. - 17. november.
DANSK:
Liturgi som ressource i samfundsliv og samfundsdannelse?
2017 markerer 500-året for reformationen og det fremhæves i mange sammenhænge, hvordan Martin Luthers reformatoriske tanker har præget ikke blot teologi og kirke men også haft stor betydning for samfund og samfundsdannelse. Det er karakteristisk for Luthers egen tid, at der var et større sammenfald mellem kirken og samfundet. I jubilæumsåret, i forlængelse af både sekularisering og globalisering, er den sikre sammenhæng mellem kirke og samfund ikke længere en selvfølge. Derfor er der, også i jubilæumsåret, grund til at sætte fokus på forholdet mellem kirke og samfund. Leitourgias årskonference 2017 vil særligt beskæftige sig med, om kirkens liturgi kan og/eller skal have indflydelse på samfundet. Kan liturgi være med til både at forme og udfordre menneskelig identitet i nutidens samfund – finde ressourcer til at være menneske i en opbrudstid. Og hvilke udfordringer giver den acceleration, som kendetegner samfundsudviklingen, til liturgi?
SVENSKA:
Liturgi som resurs i samhällsliv och samhällsbygge?
2017 är det 500 år sedan reformationen och i många sammanhang lyfts det fram hur Martin Luthers reformatoriska tankar inte bara har präglat teologi och kyrka utan också att de har haft stor betydelse för samhället och samhällsbyggandet. Det är karakteristiskt för Luthers egen tid att det fanns en stor sammankoppling mellan kyrkan och samhället. I vår tid, i förlängningen av både sekularisering och globalisering, är denna tydliga sammankoppling inte längre lika självklar och därför finns anledning att sätta fokus på förhållandet mellan kyrka och samhälle även under jubileumsåret. Leitourgias årskonferens 2017 vill särskilt behandla frågan om kyrkans liturgi kan och/eller skall ha inflytande på samhället. Kan liturgi vara med och forma och utmana identiteten i nutidens samhälle? Kan kyrkans liturgi vara en resurs för människor i en uppbrottstid? Vilka utmaningar får liturgin av den acceleration som kännetecknar dagens samhällsutveckling?
22. – 25.11.2016 Esbo, Hagalund (Espoo, Tapiola)
Gudstjänst i tiden – liturgi, kontext och dagens möjligheter
Välkommen till Esbo, Hagalund och Leitourgias 12. årskonferens med temat Gudstjänst i tiden – liturgi, kontext och dagens möjligheter.
Gudstjänsten firas alltid i en specifik kontext, i en lokal församling med lokala uttryck. Men samtidigt är den också något mer. Det här årets konferens har fokus på gudstjänsten i tiden. I vilka kontexter firas det gudstjänster och hur skapas musikaliska uttryck i dessa kontexter? Vilket är förhållandet mellan kontext och, det som går utöver kontexten, det vi kallar det transkulturella?
Konferensen kommer att teoretiskt och praktiskt, teologiskt och musikaliskt fokusera på hur gudstjänster kan kommunicera närvaron av det heliga i de postsekulära nordiska samhällena.
Hjärtligt välkommen till Finland!
Leitourgias styrelse / Ordförande Sini Hulmi
Konferensen arrangeras av Leitourgia i samarbete med Helsingfors universitet, Esbo stift (Espoon hiippakunta), Borgå stift, Finlands evangelisk-lutherska kyrkas kyrkostyrelse och Tapiolan seurakunta (Hagalunds finska församling).
Invitation to Leitourgias 11th meeting in Reykjavík Iceland, November 10-13 2015
Dear friends.
We have the great pleasure to invite you to a rich and happy meeting on the Saga Island of ice and fire, as we gather to explore liturgy and worship within the Leitourgia network for the eleventh time.
The theme of the conference is Living Word - Living Tradition? Our main speakers are Gail Ramshaw and Gordon Lathrop, as well as esteemed represantatives from the different Nordic countries. We will also enjoy the Icelandic and the West-Nordic context and explore how our worship traditions are inspired and shaped by local traditions in different times.
We are happy to invite you to a dinner at the residence of the Bishop of Iceland, Agnes Sigurðardóttir, and also to take you to the great natural wonder of the Blue Lagoon, where we’ll have our festive dinner this year.
The program can be found here
Registration
Deadline for registration has now been reached. If you failed to register, please contact Kristin Thomasdottir
Travels and lodging
Please check out different possibilities to fly from different cities in Scandinavia to Keflavik Airport, ca 45 km from Reykjavík. From there you’ll find busses to take you down town Reykjavík, and to the 22 Hill Hotel (http://www.22hillhotel.is) and Örkin (http://www.hotelorkin.is), the hotels we have reserved for participants of Leitourgia.
22 Hill hotel and Hotel Örkin can be booked as part of the registration process. Please indicate which type of room you request and, if sharing, name of the person you share with.
Conference rates at 22 Hill Hotel are:
Single room 69 euro
Double room 86 euro
Triple room 109 euro
Conference rates at Hotel Örkin are:
Room for one person 10.000 ISK
for two persons 12.000 ISK
for three persons 14.000 ISK
for four persons 15.000 ISK
for five persons 17.000 ISK
for six persons 18.000 ISK
Costs
The price of the conference is SEK 2100. Included are meals, conference costs plus trip and dinner at Blue Lagoon.
Language
Traditionally the conference languages at Leitourgia have been Swedish, Norwegian and Danish. In addition to those, we will use English this time, in consideration to our main speakers.
Seminary groups
Please find information about seminary groups and those in charge of each group here.
Presentations
If you have books, pamphlets, programs, posters etc. you want to present, there is a place for that in the program. You can contact the board of Leitourgia beforehand or just show up with your presentation.
Redan firar vi tio år med det nordiska liturgiska nätverket Leitourgia!
Temat för årets konferens är hämtat från den pågående stora utställningen av kyrklig konst i Uppsala domkyrka Himlen är här, med föremål som bär budskap om evighet (www.himlenarhar.se). Vi får en teologisk specialvisning av de unika konstverken under den första konferensdagen.
Konferensens fokus på skapelse och ting förbinder oss med historien tusen år tillbaka i tiden, men utmanar oss också att blicka lika många generationer framåt. Omsorgen om skapelsen kommer att avspeglas både i föredrag och i genomförande av konferensen. Vattnet, brödet och vinet bär vår existens i liv och liturgi, men är också beroende av vår omsorg om en hållbar tillvaro på jorden.
Vi firar liturgier tillsammans i ekumenisk gästfrihet, vi tar del av konst och musik, vi lyssnar till föredrag av specialister från olika discipliner, vi samtalar och får fördjupa oss i egna och andras texter i seminarieform och vi äter och har trevligt tillsammans under lättsamma former.
Tack vare ett generöst samarbete med Svenska kyrkan på nationell nivå, med Uppsala stift och med Uppsala domkyrkoförsamling kan vi hålla kostnaderna för konferensen på en förmånlig nivå.
Leitourgias medlemmar erbjuds som en speciell förmån möjlighet att som postkonferens deltaga bland de särskilt inbjudna i jubiléet av Nathan Söderbloms vigning till biskop 1914, som firas med föreläsningar och gudstjänster helgen 7-9 november i, och i anslutning till, Uppsala domkyrka.
Hjärtligt välkommen till Uppsala!
Leitourgias styrelse, genom
Ninna Edgardh, ordförande 2014
Konferenceleder i 2013 er viceordførende Ninna Edgardh
Praktisk information til deltagere:
I år er det viet mer tid til det viktigste i vår arbeidsmodell, nemlig seminargruppene.
Seminargrupper som er aktive i år er Rit og liturgi, Liturgisk teologi og Musikk og teologi.
Hvis man ikke har vært med på en Leitourgia-konferanse før, eller ønsker å velge en annen
gruppe, ta kontakt til David Scott Hamnes.
Gjerne presentere ny litteratur og musikk fra de nordiske landene. Medbring hva du selv har skrevet eller spilt inn. Ta gjerne med hva andre i ditt land har produsert. Det vil være muligheter for å kopiere mindre artikler/papers på Granavolden til en rimelig pris.
Konferansespråket er de tre skandinaviske språk, samt engelsk.
Konferansen begynner med registrering kl. 13.00 tirsdag den 19. november. Det vil være mulig å bestille lunsj på tirsdag på Granavolden Gjæstgiveri, da på egen regning. Send i så fall en e-post til post@granavolden.no
Reisen til Granavolden kan foretas på følgende måter:
Fly: Gardermoen lufthavn Oslo (OSL)
Deretter Maxi-Taxi eller rutebuss (ca 60-80 minutter til Gran). Én Maxi-Taxi vil bli satt opp fra Gardermoen kl. 11.30 på tirsdag formiddag. Gå direkte til taxiholdeplassen utenfor ankomsthallen ved angitt klokkeslett. Taxi fra Gardermoen til Granavolden koster ca. NOK 1 650. Det er kun plass til 16 stykker i en Maxi-Taxi.
Rutebuss: tidstabellen for tirsdag 19.11 (Gardermoen til Lunner rådhus eller Gran rådhus); lokal drosje tlf. 61 32 25 00 deretter til Granavolden Gjæstgiveri) er vedlagt dette brevet.
Tog: Oslo S – Gran stasjon (Gjøvik-banen), deretter drosje (tlf. 61 32 25 00) til Granavolden. Togets reisetid fra Oslo er ca. 70 minutter. Det er mange tog å velge imellom, særlig på
formidgen og ettermiddagen.