Soul Purpose, the liturgical drama troupe of Valparaiso University, developed original plays based on lectionary texts and suitable to serve as the proclamation of the day. Founded and directed by John Steven Paul (1951-2009), Professor of Theatre at Valparaiso University, the troupe performed in scores of congregations, schools, conferences, and other settings between 1987 and 2009. Soul Purpose plays and workshops were frequent and popular offerings at the Institute for Liturgical Studies. This collection contains over 30 liturgical dramas, each freely available to read, use, and perform.

Also included are selected essays from John Steven Paul on liturgical drama, including an introductory essay on Soul Purpose, entitled "Drama for the Church: The Soul Purpose Plays".

Each work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 License. Some rights reserved.

Follow

Liturgical Drama Introductory Essays

PDF

Drama for the Church: the Soul Purpose Plays, John Steven Paul

PDF

Making the Unseen Seen: Some Comments on the Use of Drama for the Church, John Steven Paul

PDF

Soul Purpose: Theatre Outreach Program, John Steven Paul

Liturgical Dramas

PDF

1 5 3, John Steven Paul

PDF

A Fish Story, John Steven Paul

PDF

And They Danced, John Steven Paul

PDF

And They Pranced, John Steven Paul

PDF

Annie's Party, John Steven Paul

PDF

Dear Matthew, John Steven Paul

PDF

Fools, John Steven Paul

PDF

Forty Days, John Steven Paul

PDF

Go and See, John Steven Paul

PDF

Inauguration, John Steven Paul

PDF

Keep Awake!, John Steven Paul

PDF

Leap of Faith, John Steven Paul

PDF

Locusts and Wild Honey, John Steven Paul

PDF

Matthews, Manifold Grace, John Steven Paul

PDF

New Wine, Old Skins, John Steven Paul

PDF

Paul and Silas in Prison, John Steven Paul

PDF

POOOOOFFFF, John Steven Paul

PDF

Ready?, John Steven Paul

PDF

Remembering Philip and James, Apostles, John Steven Paul

PDF

Take Off Your Shoes, John Steven Paul

PDF

That Cross, John Steven Paul

PDF

The Brother, John Steven Paul

PDF

The First Witness, John Steven Paul and Kari-Anne Blocher Innes

PDF

The Hard Part, John Steven Paul

PDF

The Man Born Blind, John Steven Paul

PDF

The Man Who Was Not Far from the Kingdom of God, John Steven Paul

PDF

The Passion of Our Lord (According to St. Mark), John Steven Paul

PDF

The Passion of Our Lord (According to St. Matthew), John Steven Paul

PDF

The Things That Are God’s, John Steven Paul

PDF

The Wedding, John Steven Paul

PDF

Tilling and Telling, John Steven Paul

PDF

What Do You Think?, John Steven Paul

PDF

Written on Your Heart, John Steven Paul

PDF

Zacchaeus: For the Lord He Wanted to See, John Steven Paul