New Books in Literary Studies Cosima Clara Gillhammer, "Light on Darkness: The Untold Story of the Liturgy" (Reaktion Books, 2025)
Oct 30, 2025
Cosima Clara Gillhammer is a medieval literature and liturgy scholar from the University of Oxford, and her book provides a fascinating look at the profound impact of Christian liturgy on Western culture. She discusses how liturgy shapes art, music, and literature while maintaining emotional dynamism despite its historical roots. Gillhammer reveals how rituals engage all senses, the importance of Psalm 51, and even the connections between liturgy and modern creators like Arvo Pärt. The conversation highlights liturgy's role in shaping belief and its ongoing relevance today.
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Teach Medieval Texts With Liturgy
- Use liturgical context to teach medieval literature to modern students lacking ritual background.
- Gillhammer wrote the book as an accessible guide to reconnect students with liturgical influences.
Liturgy As Cultural Root
- Liturgy underpins Western culture, shaping art, literature, music, and architecture across centuries.
- Cosima Gillhammer argues many masterpieces trace their inspiration to medieval liturgical forms.
Liturgy Structured Medieval Life
- In the Middle Ages liturgy structured daily life for clergy and laity, shaping calendars, commerce, and social rhythms.
- Feast days set timing for rent, trade, and communal identity, making liturgy civic, not only sacred.
