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Turning Towards the Lord: Orientation in Liturgical Prayer
This book presents a historical and theological argument for the common direction of liturgical prayer, known as "facing east," and is meant as a contribution to the contemporary debate about the Catholic liturgy. Lang, a member of the London Oratory, studies the direction of liturgical prayer from a historical, theological, and pastoral point of view.
156 pages, Paperback
First published October 1, 2010
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About the author
Uwe Michael Lang
35 books10 followersFr. Uwe Michael Lang, a native of Germany, is a priest of the Congregation of the Oratory of St. Philip Neri in London. He holds a Mag. Theol. in Catholic theology from the University of Vienna and a D.Phil. in theology from the University of Oxford. Fr. Lang is a staff member of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, a Consultor to the Office for the Liturgical Celebrations of the Supreme Pontiff and Academic Coordinator of the Master program in “Architecture, Sacred Art and Liturgy” at the Università Europea di Roma. Turning towards the Lord has been published in several languages, including German, Italian, French, and Spanish. Recently, Fr. Lang has edited the volume Die Anaphora von Addai und Mari: Studien zu Eucharistie und Einsetzungsworten (2007).
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
November 14, 2023
Excellent work for any liturgy enthusiasts. Fr. Lang presents both sides of the argument of liturgical prayer. In the end, giving a concise, true, and valid reasoning for direction of liturgical prayer according to Tradition and Council documents.
March 6, 2013
An Important Book regarding the Eucharistic Liturgy and to be specific the direction that is to be preferred during the Eucharistic sacrifice - The priest towards people or the priest along with people towards God.
And UM Lang using theological, historical and even psychological/anthropological elements holds the view that during the central part of the mass everyone should be facing the same direction. And the claim is supported with very convincing evidences.
Thus he might appear to be a person who is against the liturgical reforms brought out by Vatican II. But that is a superficial observation. He also convinces that Vatican II was never for the reforms in liturgy that is understood today (it was an imprudent interpretation).
He says for instance:
1. Vatican II never called for the breaking up of the old altars.
2. The early Church always prayed facing the direction of the East (the place of Paradise and the Rising Sun represented the glorious second coming of the Saviour).
3. The East was then replaces with the common direction for both priest and the faithful and there is a reason.
There are many more interesting and invaluable information that a student of Liturgy should not miss and even serves well for the ordinary Catholic. The liturgical, theological and historical meanings of the liturgical actions have been lost. It is time we knew them. Read the book.
And UM Lang using theological, historical and even psychological/anthropological elements holds the view that during the central part of the mass everyone should be facing the same direction. And the claim is supported with very convincing evidences.
Thus he might appear to be a person who is against the liturgical reforms brought out by Vatican II. But that is a superficial observation. He also convinces that Vatican II was never for the reforms in liturgy that is understood today (it was an imprudent interpretation).
He says for instance:
1. Vatican II never called for the breaking up of the old altars.
2. The early Church always prayed facing the direction of the East (the place of Paradise and the Rising Sun represented the glorious second coming of the Saviour).
3. The East was then replaces with the common direction for both priest and the faithful and there is a reason.
There are many more interesting and invaluable information that a student of Liturgy should not miss and even serves well for the ordinary Catholic. The liturgical, theological and historical meanings of the liturgical actions have been lost. It is time we knew them. Read the book.
October 21, 2014
This book was indeed a short yet extremely insightful read on the historical background and architectural designs as well as the mystical and theological reason for "Turning Toward The Lord" in during the Celebration of the Sacrifice of the Holy Mass. The author quotes sources (some of which even I was surprised by) who made/make it clear that even in the Novous Ordo Missae, certain parts of the Mass ought to be celebrated facing God, or liturgical east in order to make apparent the sacrificial conception of the Mass.
The book is definitely high in re-readability, for the dedicated it can be finished in 3 or 4 Days at maximum, whether your explaining this to Catholics who have not been catechized properly or if your a priest who needs to give a reason for why the Liturgy ought to be done "Turning toward the Lord" and are afraid of people accusing you [the priest] of turning your backs on them, you now will have a reason.
The book is definitely high in re-readability, for the dedicated it can be finished in 3 or 4 Days at maximum, whether your explaining this to Catholics who have not been catechized properly or if your a priest who needs to give a reason for why the Liturgy ought to be done "Turning toward the Lord" and are afraid of people accusing you [the priest] of turning your backs on them, you now will have a reason.
September 14, 2016
Excellent statement of the question and delivery. Well recommended.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews