Worship is at the heart of the Christian faith. This applies equally to all denominations. For that reason it is all the more important that the ordering of worship and its place in the life of the Church is regularly rewritten and reinterpreted. This volume-based on the third, completely revised German edition from 2013-by two of the foremost liturgical scholars in Germany offers a contemporary, comprehensive introduction to the foundations for the study of liturgy today. It is a contribution to the field that scholars and students in the English-speaking world will profit from. The study of liturgy is the essential tool for this ongoing reinterpretation. This study provides an indispensable curriculum for every student of theology, because it is in the liturgy that the symbolic give-and-take between God and the community will be revealed. This introductory volume makes this function clear and explains not only the historical development of the liturgy but also its systematic tasks. Beyond appealing to students of liturgy and theology, this book reaches out to everyone who wants to know more about the liturgical essence and dimensions of the Church.