Holy Things: A Liturgical Theology.

Lathrop's focus is on the prayer of the Christian community. He rightly notes that the liturgy itself is primary theology and he devoutly wishes all Christians to be theologians in that sense. Secondary liturgical theology is critical reflection on the language, structure, and meaning of that primary experience. When that reflection correlates with contemporary life it takes on a pastoral edge. Lathrop, accordingly, gives us a rich and satisfying study which first seeks out the pattern and structure of Christian worship and then examines the ordo of worship from within the experience of worship. The book ends with some trenchant pastoral reflections on the state of the liturgy today.

Written by someone who stands within the Lutheran confession, this is, nonetheless, a book solidly placed in the catholic tradition. As such it is a useful contribution to ecumenical theology. It is also a book written from the inside out in the sense that Lathrop attempts to make sense of the liturgy from his stance as a critically reflective believer.

Much of recent theology, both Catholic and Protestant, has begun from an analysis of the human condition in correlation with the Christian mystery (in obedience to Karl Rahner's idea that all theology begins in anthropology). Another strand of theology (one thinks of the current project of Josef von Beeck) begins from within the Christian community and inquires about its language, "grammar," structure, and ethos. Theology, of course, should not be a choice of either/or but of both/and.

Lathrop belongs to this latter tradition but with a much tighter focus on the community at prayer. Some argue that Lathrop's project (and that of others who write in his vein) is too "old-fashioned" and "conservative." My own feeling is that one must distinguish theology directed to the believing community from that directed to the world of academe or society as a whole. If one allows lathrop's starting point then one must say, as I say, that this is a richly powerful exposition of the authentic meaning of what Christian worship means au fond. It is also a timely work. Without careful attention to what we signify as a gathered people our shriveling sense of faith may lead us to the woeful notion that "true religion is resident in disembodied ideas"--a notion, alas, one frequently encounters in much current academic theology.

Anthologies of theological/religious writing by women have appeared with some regularity over the past few years. Amy Ogden's now adds to that list. Dividing her subject into historical periods, Ogden rounds up some of the usual suspects (for example, the martyrdom of Perpetua and Felicity; Clare of Assisi; Julian of Norwich, etc.) as well as some writers who are not as well known (for example, the early twentieth-century convert from Hinduism, Pandita Ramabai, 1858-1922). It was also nice to discover a writer like Susanna Wesley (mother of nineteen children, including John and Charles) who, among other things, wrote a commentary on the Creed still well worth reading.