Dayhoff Westminster Soundtrack: Elon College Professor Overton Introductory Rite

Tuesday, March 25, 2008

Elon College Professor Overton Introductory Rite

Sunday, March 23, 2008 by Kevin Dayhoff

An excerpt from “Easter years ago was a time for new clothes and Easter Egg Hunts”

Sunday Carroll Eagle, Sunday, March 23, 2008 by Kevin Dayhoff

Labels: Annual Easter, Dayhoff Elon College University, Religion, Religion Apostle Paul, Religion Bible, Religion Bible Acts - See more at: http://kevindayhoff.blogspot.com/2015/10/easter-years-ago-was-time-for-new.html#sthash.A3LmaxvC.dpuf

We have new pastors at our church and I can’t wait to see how they deal with liturgy issues. If they are smart, they will nod appropriately and do as they are told by the congregational liturgists and repeat “et cum spiritu tuo” as often as possible.

Keep up with me now. In the “Introductory Rite,” the pastor or a cantor will say, “The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.” At that point the congregation responds, “And also with you.”

However, if you go back to original Latin, the response is “et cum spiritu you,” which means “and with your spirit.”

I learned at in my Religion III class (MWF 10:10) at Elon College that one does not question the translation. I once asked Professor Overton why the translation was wrong. (Remember even though Prof Overton was friendly and accessible, religion professors are liturgists on steroids…)

“Because that is the way it has always been Mr. Dayhoff. Do you have any additional impertinent questions to share with the class today?”

“Good. Now please explain to the class why the remainder of the Chronicler’s history – Ezra, Nehemiah – is not paralleled in the Deuteronomic History, which concludes with the Exile.”

Professor Overton emphasized the word “Exile” with a smile. I caught his drift. It was then that I realized that the fear of liturgists that I had learned as a child was real. You could say it was my “Road to Damascus” experience in learning the liturgist mantra, “that’s the way we have always done it,” the hard way.

*****