Customer Reviews

The Rites of Christian Initiation: Their Evolution and Interpretation (Michael Glazier Books)

5 star:		(0)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Used as a textbook in university undergraduate and graduate religious studies programs, the work is accessible and informative to any reader interested in a historical perspective on Christian initiation rites. Johnson--who is a professor of liturgy at Notre Dame and ordained Evangelical Lutheran Minister--brings in theology inhering in such rites to the degree that their purposes and symbolisms can be realized; and so that historical modifications of rites within a religion and differences in them between religions, primarily Catholicism and Protestantism, can be realized as well. This comparative treatment within the broad historical movement brings to light similarities as well as differences while demonstrating the import, centrality, and continuity of initiation rites to Christian religions.

While recognizing the value of anthropology in understanding the presence and the role of initiation rites, the author stresses Christian initiation rites are decidedly and patently different from cultural rites in general which are the interest of anthropology in that the Christian rites "are about initiating people who already [in italics in original] belong in some way to the community to a new level of membership or status within the same community". Christian initiation rites thus have a quality of specificity and volition, and thus of meaning not found with a community's general, traditional rites.

"What the [Christian] churches continue to do today in their initiation rites has its origins in the explicit command of the risen Jesus...to continue a process of evangelization, of making disciples and teaching (catechesis) and of baptizing." From this origin, over centuries, the rites have varied as early Catholicism was beset with schisms; the Eastern Church separated from the Western Church centered in Rome; Protestantism arose; and modern society's notions of ecumenicism, spirituality, and community affected both the language and intent of many initiation rites.

This new edition (earlier one, 1999) revises translations of excerpts from primary texts to reflect recent scholarship. Other revisions range from added nuances to changes in organization from somewhat revised perspectives taking into account studies in recent years. One organizational change is the two chapters on the pre-Nicene period instead of the one of the previous volume. Such changes keep this fundamental text on Christian initiation pertinent for classroom use while not affecting its accessibility and value for general readers.

This is an excellent text for serious students of Christian History and Liturgists. The content is comprehensive and well sourced. It may be a challenging read for those not familiar with the subject matter. I do highly recommend it for those interested in the study of the Liturgy, particularly the rites of Christian initiation.