How can we use cognitive approaches to embed the dynamic and often variant outcomes of ritual experiences? Key themes that have emerged in both individual and communal rituals are the subjectivity and variation in these experiences: the role of physical and emotional interaction in shaping memory. The concluding chapter begins with a vivid discussion of cognition, sensation and experience, exploring how these elements function together, creating a spectrum of variable experiences and outcomes in modern and ancient ritual contexts. This section is used to further develop ideas, common themes and issues connecting the different chapters – the versatility of ritual experience(s), the role of embodied cognition in constructing ritual experience(s), the importance of the relationship between distributed cognition and ritual experience(s) - and how these themes help to expand disciplinary boundaries in the study of ancient religions and religious rituals. The concluding chapter also situates the themes of the volume within current cognitive science of religion research as well as broader disciplines such as art, heritage and museum studies. These discussions address how the study of ancient religions from a cognitive perspective can contribute to a number of disciplines, opening up new venues for research and interdisciplinary collaboration.

“Two Days in December” interprets the significance of the events of 8 and 10 December 1854, when Pius IX officially proclaimed the dogma of the Immaculate Conception of Mary before an immense crowd at St. Peter’s basilica and then took advantage of the presence in Rome of these multitudes to consecrate San Paolo two days later.

Following the development of the convocation controversy in England, attempts were made by the high church party there to appeal to the example of the Irish convocation in support of their claims for the autonomy of the lower house. This in tun sparked off a debate in Ireland,, in the course of which the following tracts were published.

1. [Francis Atterbury], Some proceedings of the convocation A. D. 1705. Faithfully represented. To which is prefixed an account of the several ineffectual attempts at divers times made by the lower clergy, towards quieting all disputes, and proceeding upon synodical business. London, 1708.

This work was the immediate cause of the Irish controversy because it contained the speech made by William Perceval and Francis Higgins to the lower house of the Canterbury convocation on 4 February 1706 (pp. 26-9). In a note before the preface, the (anonymous) author writes:

To the most reverent, right reverend and reverend, the members of the convocation of Ireland. The following papers do, among other things, contain several matters of fact which relate to the present synodical constitutions of your church. The publisher of them thinks he can take no better way to satisfy his readers of the truth and justness of those representations, that by appealing to the testimony of your venerable body.

He, moreover, apprehends that the consequences of that dispute, to which they refer, may, in the event, affect the Church of Ireland no less than that of England. As the restoration of your legal synods (sitting equal[ly] by the parliamentary and provincial writs) soon followed the revival of ours, so may it justly e presumed that the fate of these several assemblies will hereafter be the same; and that their authority, reputation and privileges, declining in the one, will, in due time, proportionately sink also in the other kingdom. He therefore equally prays for the prosperity of both these assemblies, and after doing what in him lies to promote it, cheerfully leaves the issue of the cause to divine providence.

The main repositories of the Irish convocation records are the Public Record Office of Northern Ireland (PRONI) in Belfast, which houses the Armagh diocesan archive, and Trinity College, Dublin (TCD). There is also a manuscript in the Armagh Public (Robinson) Library.

Dublin (Trinity College)

Armagh Public Library (Robinson Library), Armagh

MS K. H. II, 14.

This is the original of the lower house acts from 11 January 1704 to 3 October 1704 (cf. TCD MS 668/3). The text appears to have begun on p. 9, but pp. 9-16 are now missing. Every page is countersigned by the prolocutor (Samuel Synge) and the following members of the lower house: Adam Usher, David Jenkins, Jasper Brett, John Stearne, Hans Montgomery, Thomas Cox and Benjamin Neale. Pp. 17-31 are also countersigned by Andrew Hamilton.

The two provincial synods, summoned by the archbishops under royal authority, form one convocation. In this convocation there are but two houses, the upper house consisting of the archbishops and bishops of both provinces, and the lower house of the deans, archdeacons and proctors from the several chapters and dioceses. If the convocation of the Church of Ireland should be now assembled, the upper house would consist of twelve members, and the lower house of 162. Each archbishop, however, has the power of summoning his own provincial synod, without any permission from the crown.

George IV (1820-30)

William IV (1830-7)