Beyond Smells and Bells: The Wonder and Power of Christian Liturgy by Mark Galli, 132 pages
In a culture addicted to novelty and devoted to the principle of individual expression, why would anyone want to take part in a prescribed, standardized liturgy? According to Mark Galli, precisely because it is the cure for what ails us. Liturgy, if it is really liturgy, is something received, not invented. It brings participants into a time outside normal time, a foretaste of eternity. It involves a community - a gathering together in communion - and includes the dead as well as the living. Ultimately, it is the work of God, not ourselves, and is radically oriented to Him.
Galli is carefully ecumenical, appealing to Lutheran, Anglican, Methodist, Catholic, and Orthodox liturgical practices. While not as insightful as Cardinal Ratzinger's The Spirit of the Liturgy, Beyond Smells and Bells is likely to appeal to a considerably wider audience - those looking for an introduction to liturgy as well as those looking to deepen their appreciation.
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