Reviewed Book: Turner, Paul. Sources of confirmation: from the Fathers through the reformers. Collegeville, Minn: Liturgical Press, 1993

Nevile, Donald C.

English

Wilfrid Laurier University

ConsensusVolume 23Issue 2 Essays by Younger Theologians Article 2111-1-1997Sources of confirmation: from the Fathers throughthe reformersDonald C. NevileFollow this and additional works at: http://scholars.wlu.ca/consensusThis Book Reviews is brought to you for free and open access by Scholars Commons @ Laurier. It has been accepted for inclusion in Consensus by anauthorized editor of Scholars Commons @ Laurier. For more information, please contact scholarscommons@wlu.ca.Recommended CitationNevile, Donald C. (1997) "Sources of confirmation: from the Fathers through the reformers," Consensus: Vol. 23 : Iss. 2 , Article 21.Available at: http://scholars.wlu.ca/consensus/vol23/iss2/21Book Reviews 155original”. An interesting exercise, to translate the Greek back into Hebrew,and then re-translate it into English!In contrast, his musical analysis is quite “lite”. He provides reflectionson the alternating moods of the various strophes, designed, he says, to“...get us into listening to Magniflcats”. He discusses composers rangingall the way from the early Renaissance to the present: de Quatris, Byrd,Telemann, Vivaldi, Monteverdi, A. Gabrieli, J. S. Bach, C. P. E. Bach,Charpentier, Hovahaness, Tippett, and Penderecki.His textual analysis is detailed, but his musical analysis is thin. Hesketches musical themes on a wide canvas (or should we say score), ratherthan providing any musicological detail. And missing entirely is any treat-ment of the liturgical role of the Magniflcat in Evening Prayer (Vespers),the other Offices, or the Lectionary.In sum, this is an introduction to the music of the Magniflcat for thebiblically literate rather than an introduction to the text for the musicallyliterate. Terrien provides a flne overture for the musical novice. But anin-depth study of the theology of the Magniflcat in music still remains tobe written.He provides a bibliography of “available recordings of the Magniflcat”which includes 37 titles—hardly a comprehensive, all-inclusive listing ofrecordings or composers! In addition, there is a selected bibliography ofwritings on the Magniflcat in music. There is one serious printing flaw:three paragraphs of text on page 22 are repeated on page 23.Donald C. NevileHighwood Lutheran ChurchCalgary, AlbertaSources of Confirmation: From the Fathers Throughthe ReformersPaul TurnerCollegeville, Minn.: The Liturgical Press, 199492 pp. $14.00This is a book of “readings” on the topic of confirmation, chosen andedited by Turner, a Roman priest, who made his entry into this field withthe publication of his doctoral thesis, “The Meaning and Practise of Con-firmation” (Peter Lang, 1987). The purpose of the present book is “to offerreaders a collection of texts from which they may follow the course of con-firmation from its patristic origins through the Reformation” (9). Most ofthe texts chosen come from the period of the Middle Ages and the Reforma-tion. Turner’s context for writing is the Roman sacrament of confirmation:but the book will be of interest to anyone concerned about the status ofconfirmation today.156 ConsensusThe book is divided into four parts. Within each part the selections arepresented chronologically: (1) The ritual of confirmation and candidates forreception; (2) Theological reflections: why the church did it this way; (3)Ritual means: how the rite of confirmation was celebrated; (4) Confirmationin the context of the reconciliation of heretics.As a sourcebook, the book lacks narrative and does not flow smoothly.One is offered vignettes of confirmation from age to age. The book is fairlyshort, and as a consequence too sketchy to form a total picture. Still, itis valuable as a window on the theology and practise of confirmation invarious periods.Several startling insights emerge from Turner’s anthology. It is surpris-ing how widely-embraced confirmation was by most of the reformers. Onewonders if Turner has caught all the nuances in his selections. There isno mention here of Luther’s “monkey business”! Still, one sees the shift inthinking and practise from the late medieval Roman emphasis on confirma-tion as anointing and reception of the Holy Spirit, to the Reformation stresson personal confession and understanding of the faith. The only consistentelement throughout remains the imposition of hands.Surprising to this reader is the vehemence with which Jean Calvin op-posed confirmation. His statements are the most furious and fervent: “Inumber [conflrmation] among the most deadly tricks of Satan.” Calvinalso refers to conflrmation as “vomit” and “babble”. He labels the epis-copal ministers of conflrmation as “horned and mitred asses. . .no more fitfor episcopal office than pigs are for singing” (67). Having heard fromtranslators of Luther how often his German has been mollified in Englishtranslation, one is curious about the fire of Calvin’s original French!Turner concentrates mainly on pre-Reformation Roman sources, sothat a clear picture of Lutheran and Anglican confirmation does not re-ally emerge. This is too bad, since these two traditions provide the onlyreal alternative in the west to Roman confirmation up until the presentcentury, when other protestant churches discovered confirmation as a wayof forming adolescent and adult faith.Still, the literature on the historic rite of confirmation is growing, andthis book provides an available source for scholars and interested pastors.Study of this book, and others, such as Aidan Kavanaugh’s Confirmation:Origins and Reform (Pueblo, 1988), reveal how foreign and distant thepresent Lutheran practise and rite of confirmation are, in spirit and con-tent, from the historic western rite. Recent studies in our own churches onthe sacraments of initiation have completely overlooked the role played byconfirmation in the historic initiation rite—to our own detriment and peril.Lang provides citations from three Lutherans: Luther himself, Melanch-thon, and Martin Chemnitz. The book is provided with an index of namesfor easy access.Donald C. NevileHighwood Lutheran ChurchCalgary, Alberta

Sources of confirmation: from the Fathers through the reformers

Scholars Commons

Consensus
Volume 23
Issue 2 Essays by Younger Theologians Article 21
11-1-1997
Sources of confirmation: from the Fathers through
the reformers
Donald C. Nevile
Follow this and additional works at: http://scholars.wlu.ca/consensus
This Book Reviews is brought to you for free and open access by Scholars Commons @ Laurier. It has been accepted for inclusion in Consensus by an
authorized editor of Scholars Commons @ Laurier. For more information, please contact scholarscommons@wlu.ca.
Recommended Citation
Nevile, Donald C. (1997) "Sources of confirmation: from the Fathers through the reformers," Consensus: Vol. 23 : Iss. 2 , Article 21.
Available at: http://scholars.wlu.ca/consensus/vol23/iss2/21
Book Reviews 155
original”. An interesting exercise, to translate the Greek back into Hebrew,
and then re-translate it into English!
In contrast, his musical analysis is quite “lite”. He provides reflections
on the alternating moods of the various strophes, designed, he says, to
“...get us into listening to Magniflcats”. He discusses composers ranging
all the way from the early Renaissance to the present: de Quatris, Byrd,
Telemann, Vivaldi, Monteverdi, A. Gabrieli, J. S. Bach, C. P. E. Bach,
Charpentier, Hovahaness, Tippett, and Penderecki.
His textual analysis is detailed, but his musical analysis is thin. He
sketches musical themes on a wide canvas (or should we say score), rather
than providing any musicological detail. And missing entirely is any treat-
ment of the liturgical role of the Magniflcat in Evening Prayer (Vespers),
the other Offices, or the Lectionary.
In sum, this is an introduction to the music of the Magniflcat for the
biblically literate rather than an introduction to the text for the musically
literate. Terrien provides a flne overture for the musical novice. But an
in-depth study of the theology of the Magniflcat in music still remains to
be written.
He provides a bibliography of “available recordings of the Magniflcat”
which includes 37 titles—hardly a comprehensive, all-inclusive listing of
recordings or composers! In addition, there is a selected bibliography of
writings on the Magniflcat in music. There is one serious printing flaw:
three paragraphs of text on page 22 are repeated on page 23.
Donald C. Nevile
Highwood Lutheran Church
Calgary, Alberta
Sources of Confirmation: From the Fathers Through
the Reformers
Paul Turner
Collegeville, Minn.: The Liturgical Press, 1994
92 pp. $14.00
This is a book of “readings” on the topic of confirmation, chosen and
edited by Turner, a Roman priest, who made his entry into this field with
the publication of his doctoral thesis, “The Meaning and Practise of Con-
firmation” (Peter Lang, 1987). The purpose of the present book is “to offer
readers a collection of texts from which they may follow the course of con-
firmation from its patristic origins through the Reformation” (9). Most of
the texts chosen come from the period of the Middle Ages and the Reforma-
tion. Turner’s context for writing is the Roman sacrament of confirmation:
but the book will be of interest to anyone concerned about the status of
confirmation today.
156 Consensus
The book is divided into four parts. Within each part the selections are
presented chronologically: (1) The ritual of confirmation and candidates for
reception; (2) Theological reflections: why the church did it this way; (3)
Ritual means: how the rite of confirmation was celebrated; (4) Confirmation
in the context of the reconciliation of heretics.
As a sourcebook, the book lacks narrative and does not flow smoothly.
One is offered vignettes of confirmation from age to age. The book is fairly
short, and as a consequence too sketchy to form a total picture. Still, it
is valuable as a window on the theology and practise of confirmation in
various periods.
Several startling insights emerge from Turner’s anthology. It is surpris-
ing how widely-embraced confirmation was by most of the reformers. One
wonders if Turner has caught all the nuances in his selections. There is
no mention here of Luther’s “monkey business”! Still, one sees the shift in
thinking and practise from the late medieval Roman emphasis on confirma-
tion as anointing and reception of the Holy Spirit, to the Reformation stress
on personal confession and understanding of the faith. The only consistent
element throughout remains the imposition of hands.
Surprising to this reader is the vehemence with which Jean Calvin op-
posed confirmation. His statements are the most furious and fervent: “I
number [conflrmation] among the most deadly tricks of Satan.” Calvin
also refers to conflrmation as “vomit” and “babble”. He labels the epis-
copal ministers of conflrmation as “horned and mitred asses. . .no more fit
for episcopal office than pigs are for singing” (67). Having heard from
translators of Luther how often his German has been mollified in English
translation, one is curious about the fire of Calvin’s original French!
Turner concentrates mainly on pre-Reformation Roman sources, so
that a clear picture of Lutheran and Anglican confirmation does not re-
ally emerge. This is too bad, since these two traditions provide the only
real alternative in the west to Roman confirmation up until the present
century, when other protestant churches discovered confirmation as a way
of forming adolescent and adult faith.
Still, the literature on the historic rite of confirmation is growing, and
this book provides an available source for scholars and interested pastors.
Study of this book, and others, such as Aidan Kavanaugh’s Confirmation:
Origins and Reform (Pueblo, 1988), reveal how foreign and distant the
present Lutheran practise and rite of confirmation are, in spirit and con-
tent, from the historic western rite. Recent studies in our own churches on
the sacraments of initiation have completely overlooked the role played by
confirmation in the historic initiation rite—to our own detriment and peril.
Lang provides citations from three Lutherans: Luther himself, Melanch-
thon, and Martin Chemnitz. The book is provided with an index of names
for easy access.
Donald C. Nevile
Highwood Lutheran Church
Calgary, Alberta


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Sources of confirmation: from the Fathers through the reformers

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