A balanced voice addresses critics
Recent years have witnessed a number of critics who would halt or reject much of the liturgical developments of the twentieth century, especially developments that followed Vatican II. The critics vary from the philosophical (e.g. Catherine Pickstock), historical (Klaus Gambler), theological (Joseph Ratzinger), and ritual (Victor Turner).
It should not surprise us that changing the basic rituals of liturgy in a church of nearly a billion adherents in the space of half a century should not have raised the voice of a few critics. What is more surprising is the smoothness with which the liturgical changes have been so well accepted.
None-the-less it is important that the voice of critics be heard and addressed. John Baldovin, American Jesuit, has done this well. He has clearly surveyed the field, chosen acknowledged scholars who have offered critiques, and responded well. Since he is an expert in historical theology, not surprisingly this is the best section of the book. But he is equally strong in other areas.
Responding to the critics, he is quite balanced, often agreeing with criticisms yet not hesitant to disagree when he sees fit.
He sets forth a number of issues that face the church today. In the area of space, he addresses well the move architecturally that has the presiding celebrant at the altar facing the assembled people and the issue of the focus and relationship of altar and tabernacle. In the area of music he addresses the call for Gregorian chant and the development of so many other musical priorities. In the area of language and translation of Latin to vernacular he defends strongly the value of dynamic equivalence over a slavish word for word translation that can become more faithful to Latin structures than to an understandable expression of the people.
He has done well with brevity (less that two hundred pages). The book is well indexed and there is a good bibliography. Footnotes are given on each page allowing for ease of reading.
