[.ca] Shape of the Liturgy (ISBN 0826455174)

*The* Classic of Liturgical Studies:
Most Liturgical scholars own a copy of Dix's 'Shape of the Liturgy.' The reason is that Dix is perhaps the most thorough and erudite liturgical scholar of the 20th century. 'Shape' is a classic that has fundamentally shaped most Protestant and Catholic denominations. To the person not familiar with 'liturgy,' it means 'work of the people,' and is the way in which Christians have traditionally worshipped. It is a common worship, in which the worship of various separate churches is similar, but varies by time of year, and with the local culture. Dix starts with an introduction to the Liturgy; then he moves on to the performance of the Liturgy. Then he begins his historical quest, in which he attempts to find the roots of the liturgy in the Biblical documents, moving into the pre-Nicene time period. It was in the very early pre-Nicene times that the Eucharist came to consist of a four-action shape: offering, thanksgiving, fraction, and communion. He discusses the Eucharistic prayer, the local traditions, the meaning and theology of the Eucharist, consecration theology, sanctification of time, and the ceremonial. He then discusses the completion of the shape, and the use of variable prayers. Then he covers the medieval liturgy, the Reformation liturgies (with particular attention to Anglican issues), and a call for renewal. Overall, Dix's work is monumental. Sometimes, it is a bit too monumental. The work is 764 pages long. Much of what he says could be condensed into probably 200 pages effectively. However, his attention to detail is marvelous: he has read every Church father writing 2-3 times! Dix is partly responsible for the rediscovery of Liturgy in most mainline Churches, from the Evangelical Lutheran Church to the United Methodist Church. His research into early liturgies has demonstrated the Jewish nature of many Christian liturgies. I highly recommend this book. However, a little patience is needed to get through the entire book.