The Organic Development of the Liturgy
  • E_A_FulhorstE_A_Fulhorst
    Posts: 381
    The Organic Development of the Liturgy: The Principles of Liturgical Reform and Their Relation to the Twentieth-Century Liturgical Movement Prior to the Second Vatican Council is the full title.

    At best a fifth of the way through and it's already something of a revelation. Any thoughts from folks who know what they're talking about? (As an amateur, all I can say is: "It conforms nicely to my preconceived biases.")

    In particular, relying on preexisting research in a footnote, it mentions that archeological evidence does not suggest that ad populum was the ordinary direction in the early Church, contrary to the popular impressions and theories on the subject in the mid-20th century.
  • SalieriSalieri
    Posts: 3,177
    Is this the book by Alcuin Ried? If it is, I've read it and found it quite fascinating. It supports the best 'pre-concilliar' scholarship on the Mass, and builds on it with modern scholarship. What other 'post-concilliar' books seem to have done is to throw out all scholarship that wasn't used by the concilium and thus simply be an appologia for Bugnini, liturgical experimentation, the ad populum position, 'active participation', etc.

    Another great book about the position of the priest at the altar in Uwe Michael Lang's Turning Towards the Lord. The introduction by Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger is worth reading on its own.
    Thanked by 2DougS E_A_Fulhorst
  • E_A_FulhorstE_A_Fulhorst
    Posts: 381
    Yes, it is.

    Jungmann comes across as a bit of an ogre, and Bugnini as even more of a goblin. This, notably, without Reid saying anything against their persons. All Reid has to do, apparently, is to quote them and describe what they do. For balance, I'd have to read what each of them has to say for himself, though they having passed to their rewards Reid has them at something of an advantage.
  • Chris_McAvoyChris_McAvoy
    Posts: 389
    This "Organic Devlopment" book is a rehash of "The Banished Heart" by Dr. Geoffrey Hull. Stupendous books, both from Australians interestingly enough.

    What is it about Australia and New Zealand ... something is special down there?

    "The banished heart" is one of the key books that really brought me into Orthodox Catholicism.

    Not far off from the Fr. Cekada book "Not by human hands" either.

    Anything that gives the long deep history of the culture that created the idea that we can change redefine the faith however we like is well important reading.
    Thanked by 1E_A_Fulhorst
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