On post-conciliar prayer books. A philologist’s comments  Cover Image

O posoborowych modlitewnikach. Uwagi filologa
On post-conciliar prayer books. A philologist’s comments

Author(s): Maria Wojtak
Subject(s): Christian Theology and Religion
Published by: Towarzystwo Naukowe Franciszka Salezego (TNFS)
Keywords: religious language; prayer; prayer book

Summary/Abstract: The article presents prayer books which have been in circulation since the Second Vatican Council. A classic prayer book has a fixed structure and a formative character as it transmits a re-ligious outlook on life. It usually contains utterances written down in a hieratic style with elements of an official style. Modern prayer books do not have a fixed structure, even though, they retain the form of a silva (a collection of diverse genres). Their formative character consists in, either letting different subjects (saints or other moral authorities) speak, or in taking into account the worldview of an intended reader. This may lead to far-reaching stylistic openness consisting in the introduction of forms which are typical of given addressees’ community. Modern prayer books may adopt a colloquial style (including low registers), while their hieratic nature disappears.

  • Issue Year: 35/2014
  • Issue No: 3
  • Page Range: 21-38
  • Page Count: 18
  • Language: Polish