The Liturgical Year

by Joan D. Chittister, Phyllis Tickle (Foreword)

A journey of the soul through the map of Christian time.

The liturgical year, beginning on the first Sunday of Advent and carrying through the following November is the year that sets out to attune the life of the Christian to the life of Jesus, the Christ.

This book sets out to open what may at first seem to be simply an arbitrary arrangement of ancient holy days or liturgical seasons to their essential relationship to one another and their ongoing meaning to us today. It is an excursion into life from the Christian perspective, from the viewpoint of those who set out not only to follow Jesus but to live as Jesus lived and to think as Jesus thought.

It proposes, year after year, to immerse us over and over again into the sense and substance of the Christian life until, eventually, we become what we say we are-followers of Jesus all the way to the heart of God. It is an adventure in human growth; it is an exercise in spiritual ripening.

Genres: Theology, Spirituality, Christian, Religion, Nonfiction, Faith, Christianity

217 pages, Hardcover

First published August 11, 2009

About the author

Joan Daugherty Chittister, O.S.B., is an American Benedictine nun, theologian, author, and speaker. She has served as Benedictine prioress and Benedictine federation president, president of the Leadership Conference of Women Religious, and co-chair of the Global Peace Initiative of Women.

Reviews

[David S Harvey · Rating 4 out of 5]

A tour guide to the Christian year

“LIKE A GREAT WATERWHEEL, THE LITURGICAL YEAR goes on relentlessly irrigating our souls, softening the ground of our hearts, nourishing the soil of our lives until the seed of the Word of God itself begins to grow in us, comes to fruit in us, ripens in us the spiritual journey of a lifetime.”

This was a delightful read. I’ve been enjoying the depth of the church calendar in recent years, but not having grown up in a liturgical tradition, I confess to being a bit lost as to the purpose and logic of some aspects of the calendar. However, Chichester, in simple prose, guides through the year pausing to explain, enhance and enjoy the moments of the journey.

What began for me as a quest to understand surprised me in opening up to me just how much discipleship can be done by the calendar. These dates and rhythms are far from accidental and deeply spiritual.

If you are interested in exploring a deeper spirituality which is fundamentally shaped by Jesus, I’d recommend this book and what it recommends to you.

Here’s a couple of extra quotes to convince you:

“We live a liturgical life in order to become like the One whom we follow from the manger to the Mount of Olives. We live a liturgical life to learn to think like He thinks. To do what He would do. To make Him the center of our lives.”

“those who see the spiritual life as a life of restrictions and demands, of only yes or no, of life bounded by limits and denial, fail entirely to understand that the spirituality of the liturgical year is a spirituality made out of the shards and triumphs of life.”

“The way we define our years determines what we think our lives are meant to be about and how we will live because of it.”

“The liturgical year is an adventure in bringing the Christian life to fullness, the heart to alert, the soul to focus. It does not concern itself with the questions of how to make a living. It concerns itself with the questions of how to make a life.”

“The liturgical year is the year that sets out to attune the life of the Christian to the life of Jesus, the Christ. It proposes, year after year, to immerse us over and over again into the sense and substance of the Christian life until, eventually, we become what we say we are—followers of Jesus all the way to the heart of God. The liturgical year is an adventure in human growth, an exercise in spiritual ripening.”

[Alexis Neal · Rating 1 out of 5]

This is quite possibly the worst book I have ever read.

Ostensibly a book about the liturgical year, its history, theology, and significance to our modern lives, this is more accurately two hundred pages of Chittister assuring her readers over and over (and over again) that the liturgical year is important . . . without ever really explaining why. From Chittester's prospective, the point of the liturgical year is to remind us of the life of Jesus so we can emulate him in order to become "fully human" and bring about God's kingdom. ("[The liturgical year] gives us the energy to become the fullness of ourselves.")

That's it.

The whole book contains perhaps 10 pages of actual substance. I had hoped for an educational discussion of the history of the liturgical year and the theological basis for each aspect thereof. (Reformed Protestants are, I think, sometimes too quick to dismiss the merits of the church calendar, and I was hoping to better understand it so I could explain and defend it to them).

I was quite disappointed. In what were easily the most readable sections of the book, Chittister briefly explains the historical controversy regarding calculations of the dates of Easter Sunday and Christmas, but other than that, the book is just page after page of poetic-sounding, frothy, but ultimately meaningless statements about her idea of Christianity, which frankly has more in common with Eastern religions than it does with orthodox Christian theology.

I hesitate to claim to know the state of Chittister's soul, but I can say that nowhere in this book does she articulate the gospel. Her understanding of the purpose of Christ's incarnation appears to be that He came to set a good example for us; the reason for His crucifixion that we didn't "get it"; and the lesson of His resurrection that God was strong enough to overcome the tragic murder of His son. ("[Jesus goes to] the Garden of Olives to await the fate that comes from doing the will of God in a society that claims to be religious but oppresses the poor, ignores the needy, and makes itself God.") She does not appear to have any understanding of man's need for grace or for a savior. The death of Christ only matters in that it allowed him to demonstrate victory over the grave. Chittister does not seem to understand that the cross is the reason for the incarnation, that Jesus came to die. Instead, she fixates on the life and resurrection of Christ; there is no mention of atonement. ("It is not the Passover of the 'destroyer' that spared the Jews in Egypt and generated their exit to the promised land. This Passover is the passage of Jesus from this life to the fullness of divine life.")

Christ is called the savior, but it is not clear what Chittister thinks He saves us from--at most, we are saved from death itself, but not the righteous wrath of a Holy God. ("[Jesus came] with a vision of God who wished them well and not woe...")

The whole book is chock full of statements reflecting Chittister's apparent "bootstrap" theology, whereby the example of Christ enables us to try harder. ("We have some witnessing, some cleansing, and some extra work to do of our own in this life is we are to fulfill the gospel ourselves.") We then live out the social gospel, become fully human ("It is God that humanity needs in order to complete itself."), and even bring about the kingdom of God. ("[W]e have been created to make the world a better place, as Jesus did.") Sin is portrayed as something "outside" us--the worst in us is merely "weakness." ("[We have been] gratuitously saved from evil outside ourselves and liberated from the weakness within us, which, in hard times and on bad days, threatens to overwhelm us.")

Heretical theology aside, the book is objectively terrible. As I said, Chittister takes two hundred plus pages to say . . . nothing. The book is chock full of incoherent and overly flowery metaphors and self-gratifying page-a-day calendar statements. The whole thing reads like a chicken-soup-for-the-soul book of inspirational sayings that sound pretty but are utterly devoid of meaning. Some examples:

--"It is the light of Christmas within us that will take us, if we have the insight to cling to it, beyond a fairy-tale rendering of the great truths of the faith to an understanding of what the dark days of life are about."

--"[Lent is] about reaching back to remember who we are even while we keep on becoming more than we were."

--"[T]he story of the Transfiguration and Jesus' appearance with the prophets Elijah and Moses, assures us that life is not the end, yes, but more than that--that this life requires of us the courage of the prophets for truth, for principle."

--"[The liturgical year] tells us that being human is good, that we are next to God, full of the energy of the universe, fearless, full of faith and sure of more joy to come."

--"The seasons and feasts, the fasts and solemnities, if we are open and alert to them, lead us deeper and deeper into the self, beyond the pull of the present, higher and higher into the One who beckons us on through time to that moment when we will dissolve into God, set free from time to become one with the universe."

Also, an editing critique: On nearly every page of the book, a particular sentence would be highlighted and restated, in much the same way magazine articles will present an attention-grabbing statement in a small white space in the midst of a sea of text. However, these pages, unlike magazine or newspaper pages, do not contain a sea of text. The regular text is quite readable and there isn't a ton of it. Moreover, the editors almost invariably placed this catchy "attention-getting" sentence immediately before or after the sentence appeared in the actual text. This was extremely distracting and annoying. A better editor would have positioned the sentences better or eliminated them completely. Then again, a better editor would have trimmed this book down to a pamphlet.

Bottom Line: If you're looking for a substantive and intelligent book on the history of the church calendar and the theology behind it, look elsewhere. And maybe say a prayer for Joan Chittister.

**Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze®.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

[Kelly Gwin · Rating 2 out of 5]

Definitely not what I was craving or expecting. Very repetitive, elusive, and ethereal. Not much explanation or detail regarding the different seasons or celebrations, and almost no practical application with practices or traditions. Mostly poetic musings about observing the liturgical year in general, which were nice, but a little redundant after a while.

[Elizabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a life-long Southern Baptist who has loved visiting Episcopal churches, the introduction made me long to attend a liturgical church. This book covers the seasons, feasts, and ordinary time of the liturgical year. But beware, it is not a book to introduce you to or tell you what the liturgical year is; it is a book that tries to bring depth, meaning and insight to one who is familiar with and follows the liturgical year. Sister Joan, with solid theology, can be wordy at times, but overall is an insightful writer who clearly finds meaning in all the exercises of following a church calendar. I learned a lot about how Passover and Easter are determined and was convicted that I don't know much about the 'Heroes' of our faith who have gone before us (but were after the cannon). We only seem to know about the commercialized one such as Valentine and Patrick, but others we can learn from as well. Though I don't anticipate a church move, this book helped me to remember the continuous growth and reflection and community needed as a believer of any background.
Biggest compliant was that there was no Liturgical Calendar included.
(I get free books from Thomas Nelson by blogging about them-BookSneeze.com)

[Joel Daniel Harris · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was generally disappointed by this book. I think, perhaps, I walked into it with the wrong expectations, but I'm not sure what the right set of expectations would have been. I was hoping for a book that would explain both the practice and the beauty of the liturgical year for a quaker (ie non-liturgical dude) like me. I'm quite intrigued by the idea of the church calendar (and liturgy in general) but definitely don't know much about it. What I got was a rather repetitive, inconclusively brief overview of the year. There was a lack of detail that an introductory book would need, but neither was there enough deep material that would perhaps attract someone already quite familiar with the liturgical calendar. I shall have to look for a better resource elsewhere. All that being said, there were a few memorable quotes & ideas, so I kept pressing to the end.

[Elora Ramirez · Rating 5 out of 5]

Coming from a place where I knew nothing of the liturgical calendar, I loved this book. Highly recommended, especially if you want to learn more.

[Joymhb · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5*
Interesting & inspiring in places, very repetitive in others.

[J.E. Jr. · Rating 1 out of 5]

I recently received a copy of The Liturgical Year: The spiraling adventure of the spiritual life by Joan Chittister, which is one of the latest titles in Thomas Nelson's series on "The Ancient Practices" of the church. (Disclaimer: I received this copy for free from Thomas Nelson, in exchange for my commitment to write this review.)

I read another title in this series, Fasting by Scot McKnight, last spring-- and it was excellent. I was excited about the opportunity to read this title, too, for two reasons: a) I have increasingly become a student of the idea of the liturgical calendar over the last several years, and b) I hoped to find a similar unpacking of complex and somewhat obscure ideas in this title that I had found in McKnight's Fasting.

I must say, I was/am quite disappointed.

There is a segment of Christians for whom everything is about the sentiment. The historical foundations and bases for Christianity serve very little purpose for them-- indeed, if those things were entirely removed or discredited, nothing much would change about the way that they think, feel, and practice their version of Christianity. (I would go so far as to say, like Paul, that they gospel they offer is no true Gospel-- because Paul himself appealed to the very real and historical bases of the faith as the thing that makes it credible instead of lamentable.) I may unpack this idea in a future blog post, because I think it is both common in some circles and dangerous.

That said, Chittister's presentation of Christianity and liturgical practice dips into this pool of sentimentality often. It's not hard to recognize; in fact, there are some give-away phrases that show up frequently. When I read Chittister speak of "the Jesus of history and the Christ of faith" in an opening chapter, I had a hunch of what was to come. Unfortunately, I was right.

The problem with the dichotomy of "the Jesus of history and the Christ of faith" is that the two are historically one-- there is no difference, yet the writer (and others) speak of them, and deal with them, as if they are distinct. Likewise, the problem with Chittister's larger development of The Liturgical Year is that she deals with the historical and biblical aspects as distinct from what makes its it valuable.

The thing about the concept of the liturgical year is that it is biblically, theologically, and historically-based: every concept (at least of the contemporary protestant practices of it) is rooted in a biblical and/or theological foundation. Every piece of it has a biblical/theological meaning and purpose. Likewise, each part-- and the whole-- has a rich foundation of historical practice and purpose. It would not be a stretch to imagine a book filled entirely of the biblical, theological, and historical discussions around each aspect of the liturgical year (which is what I had hoped that The Liturgical Year would be).

Those parts of the discussion are in there; but they are included anecdotally, or sometimes to set up a discussion on inconsistency or problem. But they aren't the focus of the book; they are not even a part of the focus. The thrust of the book, it seems to me, is the sentiment of the seasons. In other words: in the eyes of the author, the importance of the liturgical year isn't so much what it means; it's what it means to you or to me.

A full, well-lived Christian life, though, has plenty of things to be sentimental about without making everything about being sentimental. The Liturgical Year wastes an opportunity to be a book of substance instead of mere sentiment.

[Ryan Moore · Rating 5 out of 5]

As someone who did not grow up in a Christian tradition that was liturgical lately I have become more interested in the liturgy of the Church and the impact that it has on the lives of believers. I wanted this book as soon as I saw it. I hoped that it would increase my knowledge of the liturgical calendar and the hows and whys of the various seasons. I wish the book had included more historical information on the seasons, more practical how to information on each of the seasons, and had been more ecumenical in certain ways these are small complaints about a good book. The book greatly expanded my scant knowledge on the topic of the liturgical calendar. I thoroughly enjoyed it. This is a book that all Christians can learn from and enjoy.

This book is written by a Benedictine nun named Joan Chittister and it is evident that she is knowledgeable about this topic and that the liturgical calendar means a lot to her. Her goal here is to share her knowledge and passion for the subject and she does so admirably. She asserts that "every year is a distinct growth point in life, the shedding of another shell of life." This quote illuminates one of the major points of the book that spoke to me which is the idea that the liturgy is alive because each time we interact with the liturgical calendar it affects us differently because we are growing and we are different. The calendar gives us a holistic view of Christianity. Chittister spends a significant portion of the book talking about the two major seasons around which Christianity is fashioned. These are the Advent-Christmas season and the Lenten-Easter season. She spends time laying out historical arguments for why we worship on Sunday as opposed to Saturday. She also explains that calendars are not uniform which is why the East and West celebrate the feasts on the liturgical calendar at different times. She states that it is the event not the date that is important therefore it does not matter whether you celebrate Christmas in December or January. Whether in the waiting of Advent or the joy of the birth of Christ at Christmas, the penance and self denial that comes with accompanying Christ to the cross during Lent, the celebration of the risen Christ at Easter, or the other 2/3rds of the year which are set aside for ordinary contemplation and perfecting the art of the Christian life, the liturgical calendar is meant to exponentially deepen the faith of the believer through repetition and constant reflection. The liturgical calendar is evidence of the ongoing work of God because we can see how we, individually and communally, have changed from year to year.

[J.D. · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Liturgical Year is a part of the 8 book “The Ancient Practices Series” from Thomas Nelson. It is also now the second one I have read in this series, and I must say that I enjoyed this a good bit more than the other(Fasting by Douglas Leblanc). I believe this may mainly be due to the topics, however. This one definitely lends more towards Chittister's style of writing from what I've heard quoted before(this was actually the first book of hers that I've read, though).

In The Liturgical Year, Chittister takes us through a year in the church calendar. Through this time we get different reflections of these periods as well as some history on the origin of these celebrations. I would have wished for more of the latter, but am still very appreciative of her different reflections on these times.

Joan Chittister is a Benedictine nun and prolific author, so it really is a treat to get her thoughts on these times for both of these reasons. Life in the monastery has a very different approach to time than the rest of the world, so these special days within the Christian calendar have a poignancy that most of us often miss. Our days often do not change that much on these days of remembrance, yet after reading through this it definitely seems as if it should. Our lives are often so involved that we fail to really slow down and ponder our remarkable history and the moments that are worth remembering. I'm not sure what my next steps will be in response to this, but I will certainly attempt to be more intentional in trying to understand and orient myself to the year.

Full disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of The Liturgical Year: The Spiraling Adventure of the Spiritual Life as a part of Thomas Nelson’s Book Sneeze program.

[Leah]

A helpful overview of the history of the liturgical calendar, in an easy-to-read style. It can be beneficial for anyone who wants to learn more about the liturgical calendar, from a Roman Catholic point of view.

[Beyond the Pages with Eva K · Rating 2 out of 5]

I am of the opinion that something good can be found in everything. With that in mind, I would like to guardedly say that The Liturgical Year by Joan Chittister is a fairly decent book.

Like many others before me, I was very excited about reading on the liturgy. I wanted to understand and become more familiar with what the liturgical year was all about in the purest sense. I elected to read Ms. Chittister’s book, hoping to gain clarity and insight on this topic.

I found Ms. Chittister’s writing to be both scholarly and common. She had several notable quotes and interesting comments. She seemingly tried to provide a functional link between the past and the present, and she worked to invite readers into understanding the union between Christ’s life and their own.

The Liturgical Year, however, was a laborious read for me. I struggled to find the motivation to get through this book. It was redundant and dry at times, and it never seemed to make its point. The saving grace of the book was the fact that it had many one-liners, hidden treasures sprinkled throughout the book, which contributed to renewing my interest in reading to the end.

I would be extremely hesitant in recommending this book to anyone searching for a deeper understanding of the liturgy.

[Tina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Having grown up in a church that is Christian, but that doesn’t observe the tradition of Lent, I have always been curious about the ancient practice. When I was a child, virtually nobody I knew observed the custom, although of course we observed various aspects of the liturgical year. This year I decided to dig deeper.

I’ve always believed, and still do, that salvation is not found in works, but I’m still drawn to the idea of making a sacrifice for Christ out of reverence. It just so happened that just as I began asking questions about Lent, Thomas Nelson (a Christian publisher) offered copies of The Liturgical Year, by Joan Chittister, for blogger reviews. What perfect timing!

I’m still reading through my copy, but am finding the book to be a good resource for learning about Lent, as well as the full liturgical calendar. What I really like about it is the history the author gives, leading the reader to consider how we Christians of today are still observing the most ancient of practices in the Christian faith.

The Liturgical Year hits home the point, at least for me, that we have been on this pilgrimage with others for centuries. I find that fact inspiring and have found this book to be a big help as I look deeper into the liturgical year.

[Donna · Rating 4 out of 5]

“The purpose of the liturgical year is to bring to life in us and around us, little by little, one layer of insight after another until we grow to full stature in the spiritual life.” pg. 21
The Liturgical Year, what is it? What are its components? In her book, Sister Joan Chittister lays out the year beginning with Advent and continuing through Lent, Easter, and more, explaining the importance of each to the Christian walk. The chapters are short, making it easy to make time to pick up the book and read one at a time – creating something to meditate upon. With each explanation, the reader is drawn to the truths that lead to a fuller, deeper Christian walk.
I enjoyed reading this book and look forward to using it as a study text to accompany my Bible. While I have been in church all my life and have many study books, it is nice to have the liturgical year put together within easy reach. This book is a great resource not only for personal devotional study, but for group study as well. I received this book as part of the Book Sneeze program, and thank them for the opportunity to review it.

[Jeff · Rating 3 out of 5]

Joan Chittister does a great job of explaining the point of the liturgical year cycle. It's a great read that takes one through the whole church year including spaces like "Ordinary Time" which are important in the calendar. It's a great primer for those who haven't heard about the Liturgical Calendar and the reasons for the fasts/feasts associated with those seasons (i.e. Advent, Lent, Eastertide, Sabbath, etc.)

She does include a section on Marian feasts, which may scare Protestants, but she is an important aspect of our faith (since she both had the blessing/privilege of carrying physically Jesus in her womb...and being the first to "accept" Jesus in to her life physically and spiritually...) Though I appreciate this section, and don't necessarily agree with the necessity of it, I do see that Protestants do need to do a better job at being part of the "generations [who] will call me (Mary) blessed"...

[Poetreehugger · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Church, and especially the Catholic Church, has set readings and rituals throughout the year to commemorate pivotal times in the life of Christ as He lived out His purpose of embodying the most direct communication from God to us, God's people: God taking human form to sympathize with and rescue the human race. Coming from a non-liturgical church background as I do, I was curious about and interested in liturgical practices of Christianity. I really enjoyed the learning, mind- and spirit- expanding experience of reading this book over a number of weeks, as a bit of a self-guided study. I can see how following the liturgical year would be a rewarding and spiritually profitable practice. A most enjoyable read.
One striking quotation: "On Christmas morning we find the manger full of life; on Easter morning we find the tomb empty of death."

[Margo Brooks · Rating 2 out of 5]

I bought this book hoping for in depth information and history about the liturgical year and what it means. It is in here, but not laid out in a straight forward or detailed manner. In some ways I think the author wasn't sure if she wanted to write an informational or inspirational book. Both aspects are covered, but neither in enough depth for a novice on the subject to really get into. Additionally, it was often repetitive. At times the very short chapters felt like sermons rather than a progressive set of chapters. It could be argued that the repetitive sets of words and ideas just hammered home the point that the liturgical year itself in an ever repeating circle, but I found it difficult and often boring to read. The chapters on Lent and Easter were the most informative for me, but I was ultimately left unsatisfied and confused as to the author's purpose in writing this book.

[Rachel Hafler · Rating 3 out of 5]

In the past year, I have become increasingly enchanted with the liturgical calendar as a tool for spiritual formation. I was SO looking forward to reading more about the church calendar and gaining some additional insight and this book ended up just being disappointing.
There is some good stuff about the historical roots of the liturgical calendar and I enjoyed the sections on heroes of the faith and the feast days. Overall though, the writing was redundant and overly fluffy. There was no practical application for how to actually celebrate or observe the liturgical year. Some of Chittister's insights into the deeper meanings found in each liturgical season were really beneficial though and I think this book would be best used in tandem with another more practical and detailed chronicle of the liturgical year.

[amber · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is a tour through the liturgical intended for those who grew up steeped in weeks, feasts, remembrances and so on. Unfortunately, though I am familiar with mild liturgy (having attended Methodist and Anglican churches) it is not the high liturgy Chittister references in this book.

I was hoping for an introduction to practicing the liturgical year, and this book is an explanation for those already practicing it. I imagine it would be much more appreciated by those looking for deeper meaning in the rigorous traditions they already practice.

[Hope Squires · Rating 3 out of 5]

My favorite quote from the book, especially timely: "The world around us tells us that life is about money, security, power, and success. Yet the Gospels tell us that life is about something completely other. Real life, the Gospels tell us, is about doing the will of God, speaking for the poor, changing the lives of widows and orphans, exalting the status of women, refusing to make war, laying down our lives for the other, the invisible, and the enemy. It is about taking everyone in instead of leaving anyone out."

[Andy Mitchell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliant! Inspiring!

Joan Chittister is a spiritual giant and a gifted communicator.

If you are interested in learning more about how the annual celebrations of the liturgical calendar can help you grow in your faith and live in a more Christlike way, then get a copy of this book.

It receives my highest recommendation.

I am so grateful that the publisher of this book provided me with a free copy for my unbiased review.

[Adam Shields · Rating 4 out of 5]

Overall I would recommend the book. It is part of a series of books trying to rediscover some of the Ancient Practices of the Church. But if you have some familiarity with the liturgical year, then it will probably be mostly review.

A longer review is on my blog at http://bookwi.se/the-liturgical-year-...

[Jeff · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great overview of the liturgical year and some very profound insights into the meaning behind each event, and the history by which it came into being. Beautifully written as well. For someone interested in understanding the liturgical year - specifically Catholic, though most is the same in other liturgical traditions - this is a quick and insightful read.

[Lydia · Rating 4 out of 5]

At first it seems a little bogged down with flowery language (I admit I almost gave up), but there are so many great nuggets in here if you go looking for them. This is a great book to do a once-through, and now I will refer back to different chapters as the year progresses. A great bird's eye view.

[Sarah · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was hoping for more depth. Chittister expounds upon the spiritual importance of the liturgical year, but spends most of the book repetitively harping on Easter, speaking in generalities all the while. Seasons/days that aren't Lent or Eastertide get very little treatment. There were a few interesting bits, but overall the book felt lopsided and shallow. I was disappointed.

[Jason Siegfried · Rating 1 out of 5]

I had hoped for so much more from this book! The Author never gets into any detail on history or theology of the liturgical year, instead spends the whole of the book stating and restating that the liturgical year is important. Hope to find a more informative text on the subject.

[Charles Dean · Rating 3 out of 5]

New to this kind of thinking, I found this book to be a good primer. It's probably not for everyone - but as pastor who seeks to incorporate more of the liturgical year into our church context, this was a helpful read.

[Shar]

Still reading...

[Laurie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I got this book free from BookSneeze. The official review will follow.

[Joey · Rating 1 out of 5]

I hated this book. The author loves to hear herself talk, and frequently repeated herself. Her use of overly flowery language was also a turn off.