Abstract
The late Pope John Paul II has often been quoted as saying that the church has two lungs: East and West. This truth is often ignored by Western Christians, whom I assume make up the majority of the readership of this journal. Therefore, to say that this book is much needed and long overdue would be a gross understatement. The authors, Stefanos Alexopoulos of the Catholic University of America and Maxwell Johnson of Notre Dame, are both masters of liturgical history and thus very well suited to the enterprise. In addition, each is heavily invested in the rites of the Eastern Christian Churches. This comes out clearly in their obvious affection for the rites and frequent references to Armenians, Copts, and others with whom they are in personal contact. The book is a helpful companion to Ronald Roberson’s The Eastern Christian Churches (6th ed., 1999). Both works help to sort out the difference between churches and rites. For example, there are a number of churches that are distinct (Greek Orthodox, Russian Orthodox, Ukrainian Catholic) but employ the same liturgical rite—the Byzantine Rite. Only one church, the Maronite Church, of Syrian origin and in union with Rome, has a rite unto itself. The authors also nuance John Paul II’s statement about two lungs in suggesting that Syriac Christianity, which has so often been neglected by scholars, constitutes a “third lung.”
After a quick and helpful survey of the history and characteristics of the seven rites (in addition to the liturgy of ancient Jerusalem) that constitute Eastern Christian liturgy, A. and J. proceed with each major element in the liturgy: initiation and reconciliation, Eucharist, liturgical year and liturgy of the hours, marriage and holy orders, and finally anointing of the sick and funerals. Their stated method is that of comparative liturgy, initiated by Anton Baumstark and popularized by Juan Mateos and Robert Taft to deal with the various aspects of liturgical celebration. As Robert Taft, who is by far the most-cited scholar in the book, often said, “to know only one liturgy is like knowing only one language. You may know that particular liturgy but you don’t know liturgy.”
Of its nature, this book is more of a handbook or a resource than it is a monograph to be read through in narrative fashion. As such it is long on description and somewhat short on analysis. Where it shines, in my opinion, is in the number of translated texts of prayers and commentaries provided as well in enormously helpful charts that help the reader to trace the development of various rites. If nothing else the reader will be impressed by the richness and beauty of the euchology of the Christian East. In addition, the authors help us to understand the fact that Eastern liturgical traditions are not static and unchanging despite popular misconceptions, especially among those who are tempted to idealize them.
Of course, some prayers are treated more analytically than others. For example, there is a lovely commentary and analysis of one of the Coptic funeral prayers (349). The authors also state their awareness that a great deal of study still needs to be done on various rites, but they have certainly provided their readers with tools to pursue that study. Their bibliographical references are a treasure trove and up-to-date.
The book concludes with a chapter on the ethos and spirituality of Eastern Christian liturgy. There, with remarkable economy, the authors synthesize the primary elements that characterize Eastern Christian liturgy as a whole: doctrine, hymnology, a biblical basis, centrality of the Cross, a monastic perspective and inspiration, sacramentality, space, posture, and iconography. My only surprise is that there was no particular section on the Theotokos, Mary, who features so prominently in Eastern liturgies, much more so than in the West.
The concluding section of the book is a frank and sober assessment of the challenges that face the Eastern churches today. Many of these challenges are political and cultural because some of these churches have often survived under persecution (and some still do) and some are living in a diaspora, somewhat like islands in alien cultures. Here one can appreciate in high relief the challenge that faces all religious traditions today—how to maintain the identity of a tradition and at the same time genuinely encounter contemporary culture.
The authors hope that the book will be of use to a “general well-educated audience” (xli). Anyone would indeed have to be fairly well educated to appreciate it, but I am sure that it will be of great help to theologians, liturgical scholars, and students in the Western Christian traditions who are so often lamentably lacking in knowledge of the Christian East.