Mikroliturgie

Linguistic formulations such as »Amen«, »Hallelujah« or »The Lord be with you« are still widely used in Christian worship today. These small phrases are generally associated with Christianity but are well-known much further afield than in the inner-circle of regular church service attendants. But how did they come about? How did they make their way into early Christian liturgy? When and where were they used and which meanings did they convey? Michael Jonas seeks answers to these questions by examining evidence from the first centuries. The process reveals the identity-endowing and unifying potential of these miniature phrases that possessed then as they do now an edifying Christian liturgy and piety.