Three Cheers for Mrs. Murphy!

Since Liturgy is not frozen, I think that Kavanagh's Mrs. Murphy has an important role. There are stories about how much of Rahner's theological work (I would gather especially in the Investigations) came from his encounters with the concerns of ordinary parishioners in the confessional. Of course, there is the need to pull out the theology from the liturgy, but there is also the need to infuse the liturgy with the evolving piety of the people and their own Christian understandings. Why isn't this process of give and take (taking from the liturgy, but giving to it from our experience as well) just the process of liturgical theology? Although I think Von Allmen's concern for God's freedom is misplaced, the point he's trying to make is one that draws a conclusion from his theology to the way that he thinks liturgy makes more sense. Here I agree with Patrick in thinking that primitivity is not the only good to be sought. Clearly there are some ways in which a connection to the ancient Christian past can and must be prized, but liturgy and theology develop, and there is much good in that.