In this book, Fr. Baby Varghese, an eminent liturgist specializing in Syriac Christianity, sets out “to trace some aspects of the encounter between the Syriac Christianity and its surrounding world” (13). As a means to this end, the author employs several “case studies” (though he does not call them by this term) on various aspects of Syriac Christianity and liturgy in the individual chapters of the book. Thus, there are three chapters about the earliest forms of Syriac Christianity (an introduction focused on the city of Edessa, where the Syriac language originated, a chapter about Syriac literature before the time of St. Ephrem, and a chapter about the hymnography of Ephrem), three chapters with a focus on the West Syriac tradition (on poetry after Ephrem, on the hymnography found within the Syriac Orthodox breviary, and on the influence of Mesopotamian culture on the West Syriac tradition), two chapters on the East Syriac liturgical tradition (one about the early development of this tradition and a second about how this tradition was inculturated in Central Asia and China), and a conclusion. In addition, the book opens with a Foreword each by Sebastian Brock and Martin Tamcke and a Preface by the author, all three of which are helpful in situating the book within the fields of Syriac studies and liturgical studies.

Since this book consists of case studies, it is not intended to be a comprehensive treatment – even cursorily – of the major liturgical topics (Eucharist, Christian initiation, other sacraments, liturgical theology, liturgy of the hours, liturgical year, etc.) in all of the traditions of Syriac Christianity (early, West, East, and Maronite). Rather, the book provides a helpful introduction to various aspects of Syriac liturgy in those traditions. As such, the book is suitable for readers who desire a feel for the topic, without wanting to be inundated by a comprehensive treatment of every single liturgical aspect of those four traditions. For the most part, this book does not present new research, but is rather a helpful overview, based on earlier studies (both those of other scholars and those of Varghese himself); the book thus serves as an excellent starting point for readers who desire to learn about early Syriac liturgy and want pointers on how to discover more.

The strongest parts of the book are Chapters 1 (the introduction) and 2 (literature and hymnography before Ephrem). In the latter, Varghese makes a forceful argument about early Syriac literature, especially the Odes of Solomon: Despite the fact that scholars have frequently associated such texts with Gnostic or other heretical strains, these writings should be seen in a context in which they had liturgical use among orthodox Christian communities, and in which the imagery of this literature is fully consonant with the forms of orthodox imagery employed in later Syriac Christianity. This contribution of Varghese is very valuable, as Brock has pointed out in his Foreword. Chapter 7 is also a very helpful presentation of early East Syriac liturgy and Chapter 8 is a good introduction to the inculturation efforts of the Church of the East in Asia. Chapters 3, 4, and 5 (on poetry by Ephrem, by later West Syriac authors, and in the Syriac Orthodox Fenqitho) often get bogged down in hymnographic details, where a broader overview of the history and development of West Syriac liturgy might have been more helpful to the reader. However, these chapters remain a valuable contribution, since most introductions to Syriac liturgy contain scanty information about the hymnographic forms employed in liturgical celebrations.

A few smaller points are worth mentioning: First, the wealth of footnotes and the extensive bibliography are extremely helpful to readers who wish to discover more about any topic mentioned in this book. (Would that more authors cited so thoroughly!) Second, it would have been very helpful to have an index. Third, the book is unfortunately replete with typographical and stylistic errors. The work would have benefited from a much more thorough copyediting and proofreading; indeed, these errors rob the book of the professionalism it deserves. Fourth, although Varghese mentions the Maronite tradition a few times in passing, the book lacks any dedicated section relating to Maronite liturgy. The inclusion of at least one “case study” focusing on the Maronite tradition – a Syriac liturgical tradition in its own right – would have been appropriate.

Overall, Varghese demonstrates throughout this book his impressive grasp of liturgical topics dealing with the early, West, and East Syriac traditions. His detailed knowledge of diverse aspects of the field of Syriac liturgy is on display here, as he pulls these strands together into a whole that elucidates how Syriac Christianity has developed in the context of its interactions with surrounding cultures. The book will surely serve as a useful resource for students and scholars who seek to delve into the diverse traditions of Syriac liturgy.