Publications by Innocent Smith, op
Du saint dominicain au docteur commun: Thomas d’Aquin et ses représentations (XIVe-XXe siècle), 2024
A study of the iconography of Thomas Aquinas in relation to the chants for his Mass
Ecclesia Orans, 2024
This monograph offers a comprehensive study of the proclamation of the scriptures in the medieval... more This monograph offers a comprehensive study of the proclamation of the scriptures in the medieval Latin eucharistic liturgy. Drawing on a wide range of methodologies, sources, and scholarship, Dyer examines the books, vestments, and architectural furnishings as well as the melodic formulas and ritual actions which helped solemnize the proclamation of scripture by lectors, subdeacons, and deacons.
Antiphon, 2024
Review of Lawrence Nees, Frankish Manuscripts
Tomás de Aquino: chaves de leitura, 2024
An article about liturgy in the theology of Thomas Aquinas for a Portuguese handbook of Thomas Aq... more An article about liturgy in the theology of Thomas Aquinas for a Portuguese handbook of Thomas Aquinas
Bible Missals and the Medieval Dominican Liturgy, 2023
Bible Missals are manuscripts that integrate liturgical prayers for the Mass with the scriptural ... more Bible Missals are manuscripts that integrate liturgical prayers for the Mass with the scriptural texts of the Latin Vulgate. Long overlooked by scholars, Bible Missals offer important evidence for the development of the medieval liturgy and the liturgical use of scripture by medieval Christians.
This monograph is the first comprehensive analysis of the codicology and contents of Bible Missals. Mostly produced in the first half of the 13th century by professional book makers in centers like Paris and Oxford, these hybrid manuscripts were customized for secular, monastic, and mendicant patrons. This monograph focuses on Dominican Bible Missals, the largest group within the repertoire, providing detailed codicological descriptions of each manuscript and analyzing their texts for the Order of Mass and selected liturgical formularies, including prayers for the feast of St. Dominic.
For medieval Christians, the words and events of scripture were continually called to mind and reenacted in the sacramental rites of the Mass. Bible Missals provide important material evidence for this interplay between word and sacrament.
Encyclopedia of the Bible and Its Reception, 2023
Gottesdienst in Regensburger Institutionen: Zur Vielfalt liturgischer Traditionen in der Vormoderne, 2021
This article studies a selection of leaves from a 14th century Antiphonale, identifying it as Fra... more This article studies a selection of leaves from a 14th century Antiphonale, identifying it as Franciscan on the basis of its melodies and texts.
“Beyond the Initials: Melodic Evidence for the Liturgical Origin of a Regensburg Antiphonary,” in Gottesdienst in Regensburger Institutionen: Zur Vielfalt liturgischer Traditionen in der Vormoderne, ed. Harald Buchinger and Sabine Reichert, Forum Mittelalter Studien 18 (Regensburg: Verlag Schnell und Steiner, 2021), 295–306.
The Medieval Dominicans: Books, Buildings, Music, and Liturgy, 2021
This article studies the connection between liturgy and the crisis over pastoral care of nuns in ... more This article studies the connection between liturgy and the crisis over pastoral care of nuns in the Dominican order in the 13th century.
The Medieval Dominicans: Books, Buildings, Music, and Liturgy, 2021
This article studies the 13th century repertoire of liturgical orations used by Dominicans.
Worship, 2021
By drawing on contemporary sources I illustrate how the proper chants of the Mass were understood... more By drawing on contemporary sources I illustrate how the proper chants of the Mass were understood by medieval participants. I hope to show that the propers were an effective pastoral tool for engaging the minds and hearts of participants in the liturgical rites of the Church.
Encyclopedia of the Bible and Its Reception, 2021
Archivum Fratrum Praedicatorum, 2019
In a variety of theological contexts throughout his writings, Thomas Aquinas appeals to the witne... more In a variety of theological contexts throughout his writings, Thomas Aquinas appeals to the witness of four early Christian virgin martyrs: Agnes, Agatha, Cecilia, and Lucia. As a member of the order of Preachers, Thomas observed the yearly cycle of feasts of the Dominican liturgy, which included excerpts from the lives and passions of the saints in the form of abbreviated Matins readings and chants for the hours of the divine office. In this essay, I explore the connections between the mid-13th century Dominican liturgy celebrated by Thomas Aquinas and the references he makes to the words and deeds of the Virgin Martyrs. For each saint, I give a brief account of the liturgical texts which Thomas heard and prayed, then trace the textual references Thomas makes to specific details found in the liturgical texts. For Thomas Aquinas, the lives of the saints were not mere pious legends: they were vital and inspiring sources for the study of God and for the Christian life.
New Research on Old Chant, 2018
In personal conversations with Andrew Hughes and Michel Huglo, I received apparently contradictor... more In personal conversations with Andrew Hughes and Michel Huglo, I received apparently contradictory analyses of the state of contemporary chant scholarship: according to Hughes, many musicologists did not utilize computers effectively enough in their research, while according to Huglo, many musicologists relied too heavily on computer-based research while neglecting the study of history. While not attempting to speak on behalf of Hughes or Huglo or to fully adjudicate their claims, in this presentation I will reflect on the prospects and limitations of computer-based liturgical and musicological research. As a concrete example, I will give special focus to my own experiments using plagiarism detection software to study the reception of liturgical texts by Thomas Aquinas, describing the potential usefulness of the approach while also analyzing the potential pitfalls of utilizing the results of this method without an adequate grasp of the historical context of Aquinas's corpus.
European Journal for the Study of Thomas Aquinas, 2019
Throughout his writings, St. Thomas Aquinas makes occasional reference to the coexistence of mult... more Throughout his writings, St. Thomas Aquinas makes occasional reference to the coexistence of multiple versions of the Bible, for instance in his treatment of St. Paul's use of quotations from the Septuagint which differ significantly from their Hebrew-Vulgate parallels or in his frequent references to "alia littera" of scriptural citations. 1 In addition to these explicit treatments of scriptural plurality, Aquinas makes subtle use of the multiplicity of scriptural translations in the context of quoting from the Psalms, which he knew in several Latin versions used in liturgical and scholarly contexts that reflected various strands of the biblical tradition.
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Antiphon, 2019
This essay examines the connections between the gospel pericopes sung at Mass and the Magnificat ... more This essay examines the connections between the gospel pericopes sung at Mass and the Magnificat and Benedictus antiphons sung at the Divine Office on the Sundays after Pentecost in the medieval and Tridentine Roman liturgies. Contrary to the assertion of Josef Andreas Jungmann that concordance between Mass and Office was a post-Tridentine innovation , the Franciscan and Roman curial liturgies of the thirteenth century already show a sophisticated coordination. The Office antiphons draw directly on the biblical material of the gospel pericopes of the Mass, while treating the biblical material with a certain flexiblity and drawing on other parts of the biblical canon to enrich the text of the liturgical antiphons.
Sacred Music, 2018
This essay explores the role of the Divine Office in Dominican life, focusing on the relationship... more This essay explores the role of the Divine Office in Dominican life, focusing on the relationship of the liturgy to study and the apostolate and the meaning of the Divine Office as an officium (duty or office).
Theological Studies, 2018
Thomas Aquinas' theology of mercy is deeply marked by the liturgical tradition of the Order of Pr... more Thomas Aquinas' theology of mercy is deeply marked by the liturgical tradition of the Order of Preachers, incorporating many explicit and implicit references to liturgical prayers in praise of God's mercy. This article explores the liturgical context of Thomas Aquinas' theology of mercy, demonstrating the influence of the Dominican liturgy on Thomas' understanding and articulation of mercy and showing the subsequent influence of Thomas on Pope Francis' theology of mercy.
Worship, 2018
Yves Congar makes frequent references to the liturgy throughout his theological writings. In this... more Yves Congar makes frequent references to the liturgy throughout his theological writings. In this essay, I explore the role of the Feast of the Nativity in the Christology of Congar, showing his attentiveness to the Dominican, Roman, and Eastern liturgies as well as the liturgical theology of Thomas Aquinas.
Sacred Music, 2017
In this paper, I examine Dominican perspectives on progressive solemnity as expressed by Thomas A... more In this paper, I examine Dominican perspectives on progressive solemnity as expressed by Thomas Aquinas, Humbert of Romans, and Jerome of Moravia. These sources help us to understand the nature of solemnity in itself as well as the pastoral and theological considerations that led the early Dominicans to celebrate the liturgy with brevity on certain occasions and with greater solemnity on others. The Dominican liturgical and theological tradition offers a practical and pastorally sensitive approach to progressive solemnity.
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Publications by Innocent Smith, op
This monograph is the first comprehensive analysis of the codicology and contents of Bible Missals. Mostly produced in the first half of the 13th century by professional book makers in centers like Paris and Oxford, these hybrid manuscripts were customized for secular, monastic, and mendicant patrons. This monograph focuses on Dominican Bible Missals, the largest group within the repertoire, providing detailed codicological descriptions of each manuscript and analyzing their texts for the Order of Mass and selected liturgical formularies, including prayers for the feast of St. Dominic.
For medieval Christians, the words and events of scripture were continually called to mind and reenacted in the sacramental rites of the Mass. Bible Missals provide important material evidence for this interplay between word and sacrament.
“Beyond the Initials: Melodic Evidence for the Liturgical Origin of a Regensburg Antiphonary,” in Gottesdienst in Regensburger Institutionen: Zur Vielfalt liturgischer Traditionen in der Vormoderne, ed. Harald Buchinger and Sabine Reichert, Forum Mittelalter Studien 18 (Regensburg: Verlag Schnell und Steiner, 2021), 295–306.
https://content.sciendo.com/view/journals/ejsta/37/1/ejsta.37.issue-1.xml
This monograph is the first comprehensive analysis of the codicology and contents of Bible Missals. Mostly produced in the first half of the 13th century by professional book makers in centers like Paris and Oxford, these hybrid manuscripts were customized for secular, monastic, and mendicant patrons. This monograph focuses on Dominican Bible Missals, the largest group within the repertoire, providing detailed codicological descriptions of each manuscript and analyzing their texts for the Order of Mass and selected liturgical formularies, including prayers for the feast of St. Dominic.
For medieval Christians, the words and events of scripture were continually called to mind and reenacted in the sacramental rites of the Mass. Bible Missals provide important material evidence for this interplay between word and sacrament.
“Beyond the Initials: Melodic Evidence for the Liturgical Origin of a Regensburg Antiphonary,” in Gottesdienst in Regensburger Institutionen: Zur Vielfalt liturgischer Traditionen in der Vormoderne, ed. Harald Buchinger and Sabine Reichert, Forum Mittelalter Studien 18 (Regensburg: Verlag Schnell und Steiner, 2021), 295–306.
https://content.sciendo.com/view/journals/ejsta/37/1/ejsta.37.issue-1.xml
In the first chapter of this tesina, I will offer an overview of the character and use of the liturgical orations in the medieval liturgy, offer terminology for describing references to liturgical texts by medieval scholastic authors, describe several modes of identifying liturgical references in medieval texts, and situate the mid-13th century Dominican rite celebrated by Aquinas and his contemporaries within the wider context of the medieval Latin liturgy. In the second chapter, I will examine the use of liturgical texts by scholastic authors other than Aquinas, giving special attention to Albert the Great and Bonaventure. In the third chapter, I will consider Thomas’s use of liturgical orations, first examining cases in which he is indebted to the broader tradition of scholastic use of the liturgy and second examining Thomas’s distinctive contributions to this tradition. Finally, I will conclude with a summary of the results of this study, describing its significance for Thomistic scholarship and liturgical studies and pointing out avenues for further research.
20-minute paper submissions are welcomed touching on any aspect of Dominican chant and liturgy. Possible topics include comparative studies of particular Dominican chants with examples from other traditions; studies of Dominican chant manuscript or printed sources; comparative studies of chant sources intended for male and female Dominican communities; etc.
Please submit a 250-word-abstract to [email protected] by March 20.
Scholastic theologians of the twelfth and thirteenth centuries addressed liturgical topics in a variety of genres, including commentaries on the liturgy, sermons drawing on liturgical scriptural pericopes and prayers, occasional writings exploring liturgical or sacramental themes, and synthetic works that incorporated the testimony of the liturgy into a wider range of scriptural, patristic, and philosophical authorities. In the thirteenth century, a practice developed among scholastic theologians at Paris of appealing to the authority of certain liturgical prayers amid discussions of particular theological questions in academic commentaries on the Sentences of Peter Lombard (c. 1095–1160). In this presentation, I will describe the use of liturgical orations by Alexander of Hales, Albert the Great, Bonaventure, and Thomas Aquinas in their commentaries on II Sentences distinctions 9 and 36 and IV Sentences distinctions 3, 4, 8 and 12, which treat of angels, sin, baptism, and the Eucharist. In each case, several or all of these theologians appeal to identical liturgical prayers, indicating a shared tradition of appeal to the liturgy as a source for theological understanding. Through this presentation, I hope to shed light on the ways in which the liturgy served as a basis for theological reflection and exploration among scholastic theologians, illuminating an often-neglected but important aspect of the reception of liturgical texts in the Middle Ages.
The Order of Preachers possess a noble patrimony of chants and liturgical rites that originated in the 13th century. Although the semi-monastic character of the Dominican liturgy is sometimes perceived as being in tension with the parochial apostolate that Dominicans have engaged in since the beginning of the 19th century, this paper proposes that the Dominican chant tradition is an important font for Dominican friars to draw on in their pastoral ministry. I will first give a brief account of the link between the liturgy of Dominican friars and their preaching ministry from the middle ages through the modern period. I will then articulate ways in which elements of the Dominican chant tradition can be incorporated into the contemporary Roman rite in parochial settings. As a concrete example, I will describe the program that I am helping to develop at the Parish of St. Vincent Ferrer and St. Catherine of Siena in Manhattan. Beginning this year, we have begun to incorporate Dominican chant in both the original Latin and in vernacular adaptations at Mass and Vespers. I will describe the practical and technical aspects of the approach we are developing, as well as the pastoral and educational program we have put in place to help the parishioners understand and participate more deeply in our parish liturgy. Although my paper focuses on the Dominican chant tradition, the overall approach may be helpful for those who wish to draw on the broader Gregorian chant tradition in the contemporary liturgy.
Audio recordings of the conference presentation are available here:
Part 1: https://soundcloud.com/thomisticinstitute/aquinas-on-the-rites-of-the-mass-fr-innocent-smith-op-12316-part-1
Part 2: https://soundcloud.com/thomisticinstitute/aquinas-on-the-rites-of-the-mass-fr-innocent-smith-op-121316-part-2
Audio recordings of the conference presentation are available here:
Part 1: https://soundcloud.com/thomisticinstitute/aquinas-on-the-rites-of-the-mass-fr-innocent-smith-op-12316-part-1
Part 2: https://soundcloud.com/thomisticinstitute/aquinas-on-the-rites-of-the-mass-fr-innocent-smith-op-121316-part-2
Audio recordings of the conference presentation are available here:
Part 1: https://soundcloud.com/thomisticinstitute/aquinas-on-the-rites-of-the-mass-fr-innocent-smith-op-12316-part-1
Part 2: https://soundcloud.com/thomisticinstitute/aquinas-on-the-rites-of-the-mass-fr-innocent-smith-op-121316-part-2
Amalar of Metz, On the Liturgy, trans. Eric Knibbs, Dumbarton Oaks Medieval Library 35-36 (Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 2014).
Amalar of Metz, Amalarii episcopi Opera liturgica omnia, ed. Jean-Michel Hanssens, Studi e testi (Biblioteca apostolica vaticana) 138-140 (Vatican City: Biblioteca Apostolica Vaticana, 1948–1950).