Abstract
Since the Ditchingham Consultation of the WCC on Christian worship and unity, a general concept of liturgical ordo, and its variations for baptism, the eucharist and daily prayer, has become a widely shared term used in academic and ecclesiastical contexts in relation to liturgical celebration. It is used as an theological instrument for interpretation of the differences as well as common elements of the liturgical traditions and practices, for their assessment and an elaboration of principles of the ecumenical convergence in the search for the common Christian worship.
This paper introduces the concept of the ordo into the context of the liturgical theology of the Czechoslovak Hussite Church. First, it offers a short history of the concept and presents both its methodological and theological significance, as these have been proposed namely in the work of Gordon Lathrop.
Then, the main objections to the concept are summarized and their critical evaluation by Maxwell Johnson is put forward. Finally, the paper argues for an intentional use of the critically evaluated idea of the ordo in the present liturgical renewal in the Czechoslovak Hussite Church.