The Spirit of the Liturgy
The Spirit of the Liturgy by Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger (now Pope Benedict XVI) is a fascinating look into the deeper meanings inherent in the Roman Catholic liturgy. As an Evangelical, the book deepened my respect for and understanding of how my Catholic friends approach God. I've tremendously enjoyed the few experiences I've had with liturgical services (in both Lutheran and Catholic forms) and this work confirmed my suspicion that the stereotype that liturgy is always a dead, stale form of worship is only held by those who have never experienced it among a community of committed, believing Christians. This book is not a liturgical manual and does not profess to be such. Rather it examines the reasons why Catholics worship and, along the way, the often overlooked symbolism behind certain aspects of the Mass.
Ratzinger believes that worship is neither rigidly static nor changeable at will, that it grows dynamically from the living traditions of the Church. It is something which a Christian is to approach with the intent of being changed, in submission to the Other which comes to meet him there. Ratzinger has often been noted for being particularly Eucharistic in his writings and so it should come as no surprise that the giving of himself by Christ in the sacrament is repeatedly emphasized as the high point of the service (this is in keeping with the Catholic tradition; it is stressed here). The spectrum of specific topics he addresses is quite broad for a 224-page book but issues such as inculturation and the importance of the relation of the liturgy to history as well as to creation (of which worship is held to be the only purpose) are repeatedly mentioned in the course of covering other subjects. References to Vatican II liturgical reform and the degrees to which it has been more or less successfully applied are inevitable in a work like this. Ratzinger's erudition in the fields of art and music shows itself and I found particularly intriguing his assertion that the banality of pop music and the formlessness of modern art are directly connected to a generation which has largely lost authentic interest in spiritual matters. Those interested in the historical and linguistic background of things pertaining to the liturgy will find plenty to satisfy them here, not least of which are a few pages describing which rites developed in which geographical areas and the interrelations between them.
For Roman Catholics (and for that matter Lutherans and Episcopals) without a great understanding of why their churches perform certain rituals may find some clarity here. If you find yourself tiring of worship leaders that constantly demand that everything be of a contemporary, pop-culture character this book may help you understand why. Lastly, those of us Catholics and non-Catholics who have developed a deep respect for the intellect, spirituality and wisdom of the man who is now the Bishop of Rome will find that this book deserves a place among his most well-respected works.
(also posted to 50bookchallenge)
Ratzinger believes that worship is neither rigidly static nor changeable at will, that it grows dynamically from the living traditions of the Church. It is something which a Christian is to approach with the intent of being changed, in submission to the Other which comes to meet him there. Ratzinger has often been noted for being particularly Eucharistic in his writings and so it should come as no surprise that the giving of himself by Christ in the sacrament is repeatedly emphasized as the high point of the service (this is in keeping with the Catholic tradition; it is stressed here). The spectrum of specific topics he addresses is quite broad for a 224-page book but issues such as inculturation and the importance of the relation of the liturgy to history as well as to creation (of which worship is held to be the only purpose) are repeatedly mentioned in the course of covering other subjects. References to Vatican II liturgical reform and the degrees to which it has been more or less successfully applied are inevitable in a work like this. Ratzinger's erudition in the fields of art and music shows itself and I found particularly intriguing his assertion that the banality of pop music and the formlessness of modern art are directly connected to a generation which has largely lost authentic interest in spiritual matters. Those interested in the historical and linguistic background of things pertaining to the liturgy will find plenty to satisfy them here, not least of which are a few pages describing which rites developed in which geographical areas and the interrelations between them.
For Roman Catholics (and for that matter Lutherans and Episcopals) without a great understanding of why their churches perform certain rituals may find some clarity here. If you find yourself tiring of worship leaders that constantly demand that everything be of a contemporary, pop-culture character this book may help you understand why. Lastly, those of us Catholics and non-Catholics who have developed a deep respect for the intellect, spirituality and wisdom of the man who is now the Bishop of Rome will find that this book deserves a place among his most well-respected works.
(also posted to 50bookchallenge)