Medieval Liturgy: A Book of Essays (review)

182 Reviews Larson-Miller, Lizette, ed., Medieval Liturgy: A Book ofEssays (Garland Medieval Casebooks 18), N e w York and London, Garland, 1997; board; pp. xviii, 314; R.R.P. US$70.00. This substantial volume is divided into three sections, the first on eucha liturgy, the second on other liturgical rites, and the third on issues supporting and surrounding liturgy. In Section One Joanne Pierce's 'The Evolution of the ordo missae in the Early Middle Ages' traces the development of the Mass, the most significant element of medieval liturgical life. From the set order established in Late Antiquity, Pierce posits a liturgical inculturation moving from Mediterranean to Northern 'world views'. Gary Macy's 'Commentaries on the Mass during the Early Scholastic Period' discusses allegorical commentaries written on the Mass from the late eleventh to the early thirteenth centuries, and suggests that they are part of the development of a particular type of eucharistic piety. Concluding this section is Marie Anne Mayeski's 'Reading the Word in a Eucharistic Context' which considers the ways in which the shape and form of the eucharistic liturgy acted as a context in which medieval Christians interpreted scripture. Thefirstsection of the book appears dry and technical compared to the second and third. It contains much useful material and some fine scholarship, but it is with Section T w o 'Other Rites' that the book really grips the reader. This opens with Jan Michael Joncas' piece on Hugh of Amiens' Three Books on the Church and its Ministers, focusing on the rite of ordination. The second book discusses the ecclesiastical orders in ten chapters, and Hugh interestingly presents each level of orders as a ministry in its o w n right, rather than as stepping stones to the higher levels of major orders. Joncas quotes liberally from Hugh and considers interesting issues such as whether Hugh's typology is ideal or reflects actual practice and so on. Michael Driscoll then approaches popular religion in 'Penance in Transition: Popular Piety and Practice', which argues that 'Penance was to the Middle Ages what Baptism was to the Patristic period' (p. 121). Concentrating on Carolingian popular piety, he examines libri paenitentiales (penitential books), precum libelli (prayer booklets), and specul (spiritual mirrors). The final paper in the second section considers marriage rituals. John K. Leonard employs an anthropological framework derived from van Gennep's influential separation, liminality and incorporation/aggregation model in approaching the development of marriage customs in the Christian west, from their Roman, Gallic and Germanic origins. Section Three, 'Issues in Liturgy', contains papers on medieval music, the role of architectural settings in liturgy, and Carolingian royal anointings. Edward Foley's "The Song of the Assembly in Medieval Eucharist' argues that the usual approach to medieval liturgical music excludes the participation of the laity in music worship, concentrating on the specialist contributions of the music professionals. H e then examines the Ordinary and the Proper of the Mass and offers readings where lay participation in singing could and did Reviews 2g3 occur. Susan A. Rabe's 'The Mind's Eye: Theological Controversy and Religious Architecture in the Reign of Charlemagne' notes that three churchmen influential in Carolingian theological circles, Benedict of Aniane, Theodulf of Orleans and Angilbert of Saint-Riquier, built churches. She then considers the principal theological controversies of Charlemagne's reign (Adoptionism and the dispute with the Greek church over icons and the fdioque clause) and concludes that 'the Carolingian participants in these battles perceived an inherent connection between correct belief in the Trinity and Christ, thefilioque, Marian theology, and the nature of religious art' (p. 240). The second half of the paper considers the iconography of the three churches, Theodulf's at Germigny-des-Pres, Benedict's at Aniane, and Angilbert's abbey of Saint-Riquier, and concludes with a brief note on the nature of religious symbols. This is a marvellously interesting paper, well argued and convincing. The final paper, Paul A. Jacobson's 'Sicut Samuhel Unxit David: Early Carolingian Royal Anointings Reconsidered', has probably been included in Section Three rather than Section Two because it is principally concerned with the interpretation of anointing ceremonies, rather than with their correct order or...