I would like to draw your attention to a new scholarly book published by Ashgate: Messiaen the Theologian

The contents include essays about Messiaen's theological influences, the music in his parish, his relationships to broader Catholic culture, and other topics.

If I may put in a shameless plug, my own piece discusses how the progressive theology underpinning much of the Second Vatican Council positively affected contemporary reception of Messiaen's music at the expense of another famous Franco-Russian Catholic composer, Arthur Lourié.

The book will appeal to fans of Messiaen's music, as well as to those who have broader interest in European Catholicism and Catholic music.