Liturgical Piety

by Louis Bouyer

The liturgy, in its essence, is a profoundly personal act; it is the supreme act of the worship, offered by the priest in persona Christi, on behalf of the Mystical Body of Christ, the Church. As such, it transcends mere ceremony, being rather a sacrifice of praise in the fullness of the term, an action in which the Church participates as a whole to the glory of God and the sanctification of souls. Describing and clarifying the nature of “liturgical piety” in all its richness and with all its implications over the course of nineteen cogent chapters, Louis Bouyer charts the course of the liturgy through the ages, detailing its intimate ties to the Jewish tradition, its development in the Patristic age, its roots in Sacred Scripture, and its role in the Christian Mystery as anchor for the entire sacramental order.

For the purpose of achieving “a true rediscovery of the liturgy which will be a new upsurge of its eternal vitality,” Liturgical Piety remains a sure source of insight and inspiration, revealing as it does that “the liturgy shows the distinctive features of the Catholic tradition in its most solemn form.”

Genres: Theology, Catholic

340 pages, Kindle Edition

First published June 1, 1955

About the author

Rev. Louis Bouyer (1913-2004) was a member of the French Oratory and one of the most respected and versatile Catholic scholars and theologians of the twentieth century.

A friend of Hans Urs von Balthasar, Joseph Ratzinger, and J.R.R. Tolkien, and a co-founder of the international review Communio, Bouyer was a former Lutheran minister who entered the Catholic Church in 1939.

He became a leading figure in the Catholic biblical and liturgical movements of the twentieth century, was an influence on the Second Vatican Council, and became well known for his excellent books on history of Christian spirituality. In addition to his many writings, Bouyer lectured widely across Europe and America.

Woman in the Church (with an epilogue by Balthasar and an essay by C.S. Lewis), was one of the first three books published by Ignatius Press, in 1979. Other Ignatius Press books by Bouyer include The Word Church and Sacraments in Protestantism and Catholicism, Women Mystics, and the introduction to John Henry Newman: Prayers Verses Devotions (Bouyer wrote a biography of Newman).

He was chosen by the Pope to be part of a team to initiate the International Theological Commission in 1969.

Reviews

[Bijoy Joseph · Rating 5 out of 5]

A brilliant book that aims to foster a deeper understanding of the liturgy. It takes a scriptural, historical, and spiritual approach to the liturgy to show how the liturgy, starting with its Jewish origins, and moving into the Patristic period, aims to make present the Mystery. It is clear that this book influenced the minds of the Council Fathers of Vatican II with many of the ideas outlined being included into Sacrosanctum Concilium.

[Paul A. · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am re-reading this book, a master piece. Father Louis Bouyer (of the Oratory) is a brilliant thinker. I first read this book when I was Notre Dame doing the MA in liturgical studies.