Book Review: The Liturgical Year

This is my first review as part of the Thomas Nelson Book Review Bloggers program.  I signed up and received a free copy of this book.

Part historical study, part devotional, The Liturgical Year by Joan Chittister, is part of Thomas  Nelson Publishers “Ancient Practices” series.  The historical background of the liturgical year is  woven throughout the devotional reflections and this book is in no way an academic treatment.  Actually, I was a little disappointed that it wasn’t a bit more academic, but it probably fulfills what seems to be the main purpose of the book: to introduce and meditate upon the practice of following the Church year corporately and privately.

It’s probably unreasonable to object to the heavily Roman Catholic slant of the book.  After all, Sister Joan Chittister is a Roman Catholic Benedictine nun.  I was just expecting something a little more generic, a kind of “mere liturgical year” treatment.  As an Anglican, I have never celebrated a number of the feast days she describes, especially the Marian Feasts.  With the exception of the Annunciation, most Marian Feast days are not observed in my tradition.  I have never been in a parish which even knew what the Octave of Mary was, let alone celebrated it.  Nor was the Feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, the Queenship of Mary, Our Lady of the Rosary, Feast of the Immaculate Conception or any other of the many specifically Roman Catholic days she describes.

There are many branches of Christianity which are liturgical besides the Roman Catholic tradition.  Anglicans, Eastern Orthodox, Lutheran and others all follow a Church calendar.  I even know of one local Baptist church that observes Lent.  So the almost exclusive emphasis on the Roman Church’s celebration and interpretation of the calendar detracts from the value of this book.  It is not the book I would give to any non-liturgical or non-denominational Christian to commend the use of either liturgy or the Church year.