Review by Choice Review
This work has been long awaited in many quarters. Johnson, former executive secretary of the Federation of Diocesan Liturgical Commissions, has collated thousands of excerpts from primary sources from the early church. This four-volume set (the CD was not part of the review) is comprehensive in scope, stretching from pre-Christian, Jewish texts through the sixth century, both Eastern and Western, drawing from diverse textual genres. Many documents previously were unavailable in English (in many cases, the author made his own translations). A brief introduction prefacing each entry gives historical context, and a thorough bibliography follows. A comprehensive index concludes the fourth volume. This set will be of immense practical value for a variety of audiences. Although the cost may restrict classroom use, teachers will find it a highly useful resource. Undergraduate and graduate students, scholars in liturgy and related fields, and even ministers will find it valuable as a research tool. Some earlier attempts were made to develop a collection like this--e.g., Springtime of the Liturgy: Liturgical Texts of the First Four Centuries (1979), ed. by Lucien Deiss--but none can match it in scope and depth. Geoffrey Wainwright and Karen B. Westerfield Tucker's edited Oxford History of Christian Worship (CH, Jun'06, 43-5848) is valuable for what it adds in the way of scholarly narrative, but it does not equal this work in giving the reader immediate contact with the patristic heritage of worship. Summing Up: Highly recommended. Lower-level undergraduates and above; general readers. J. P. Blosser Benedictine College
Copyright American Library Association, used with permission.
Review by Choice Review
