Teach Them the Good Way
All too often the Church watches people walk away from the faith. Now this could be for any number of reasons, but I believe much of it is due in part to the fact that some never know entirely what it is they believe. It is hard to commit yourself to something you don't understand or don't really know. Even more, when an opposing idea or teaching comes up, what tools does a person have to speak or think the truth if they don't necessarily know what the truth is? It is to this problem that I believe every church should have a version of catechesis where new believers, or old, are brought into a smaller community to learn the truth, connect with individuals who are encouraging to others in their Christian walk, and are given the tools to know what it is they believe and, most importantly, why it is they believe.
What is a catechesis?
For many of us, however, we aren't exactly sure what a catechesis is or have only ever heard of catechisms tied with the Catholic Church. So what is it exactly? In basic terms, catechesis is teaching; it is the teaching of Christian truths to new believers so that they might come to learn and know the beliefs of the Church. However, as a whole, catechesis must be seen less like a schoolroom where lessons are taught, and more like a process of initiation into the family of believers. Some describe it as: "A process of sharing the Christian faith from one generation to the other. It is informing in faith, hope, and charity that shapes the mind and touches the heart, leading a person to embrace Christ fully and completely. It introduces the believer more fully into experiencing the Christian life" (Naaeke, 39).
As a process, catechesis is an ongoing element of Christian life that people take part in. It is a place of growing and maturing where young believers come both to learn how to express their spiritual experiences and to be welcomed into the Christian faith. Oftentimes the church is imagined as a family of brothers and sisters in Christ who fellowship with one another and take care of each other. Catechesis works as a way for new believers to be welcomed into this new family. Older brothers and sisters “hand over the faith of the Church to these who are entering as new members and believers" (Abraham, 247). Through catechesis the church family opens its arms and welcomes its new family members, teaching them about living the Christian life.
As a process for initiation into the church family, catechesis also prepares young and new believers for their new life in Christ and in the Church. New believers attend catechetical classes before baptism and after baptism (Gavrilyuk, 38). Prior to baptism, catechumens are taught about the sacraments, Communion and Baptism, and their importance in Church worship. Once baptized, new believers then enter into a different class of catechesis, in which basic church beliefs are taught. It is in this way that catechumens are welcomed and initiated into the Church and learn what it is they believe.
Why catechesis?
When seen in this light, one can see that catechesis can be understood as a process where: "Souls wounded by sin, receive their first cure; where repentant hearts are opened to accept the love of God and share it with others; where humbled minds are enlightened by the Holy Spirit to comprehend the Word of God; where docile bodies are trained to become vessels of holiness; where spiritual senses are attuned to discern the hand of God in all things" (Gavrilyuk, 38).
Yet catechesis is more than just memorizing ideas and teaching classes. There are spiritual benefits for a person who partakes in learning about the Church, theology, and faith. New believers learn new vocabulary, expressions, and emotions that allow them to process their spiritual experiences. It would be ridiculous to assume that a person who has just come to believe in Christ could describe his/her transition from sin to innocence and use the words justification or sanctification. It is important for catechesis to “enable catechumens and Christians to respond to their call to live out the Christian message" (Naaeke, 80). Too often, individuals accept the call to bring Christ into their lives, but never get the direction they need in order to take the next steps. This call towards Christ and catechesis “obviously demands a transformation in consciousness on the part of both people and ministers, a new awareness of the whole community as the liturgical agent" (Groome, vi). Catechesis provides ways for people to understand the transformation that is going on and to react to it. This allows new believers to better recognize the changes going on within them and will allow them to continue to move forward in their spiritual walk.
Overall, catechesis has the purpose of “promoting lived Christian faith" (Kalathuveettil, 78). This means that catechesis is a “holistic affair that engages the whole of people’s heart, soul, mind, and strengths; it engages people as ‘agent-subjects-in-community’ in the threefold dynamic and historical dimensions of believing, trusting, and doing God’s will" (Kalathuveettil, 78-79). Providing new believers with the ability to respond to their experiences of salvation is only a part of what catechesis hopes to provide. There is also the need for catechesis to enable catechumens and Christians to “proclaim it to others" (Naaeke, 80). More than just internalizing the transformations going on within a person, catechesis also provides new believers with the tools to share their story and the Gospel message with others. It is just as important for new believers to be able to understand their own spiritual formation as it is for them to understand the importance of evangelism and missions. Living out the Gospel message includes both internalizing the story and sharing it with others.
Anthony Y. Naaeke, Kaleidoscope Catechesis: Missionary Catechesis in Africa, Particularly in the Diocese of Wa in Ghana, (New York: Peter Lange, 2006).
William J. Abraham, “Catechesis and Revitalization,” in Interpretive Trends in Christian Revitalization for the Early Twenty First Century, edited by J. Steven O’Malley, 245-251, (Lexington, KY: Emeth Press, 2011).
Paul L. Gavrilyuk, “The Healing Process of Initiation: Toward the Retrieval of Patristic Catechumenate,” in Immersed in the Life of God: The Healing Resources of the Christian Faith, edited by Paul L. Gavrilyuk, Douglas M. Koskela, Jason E. Vickers, 21-41, (Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing, 2008).
Thomas H. Groome, “Catechesis for a New Liturgical Consciousness,” in Catechesis for Liturgy by Gilbert Ostdiek, (Washington, DC: The Pastoral Press, 1986).
Thomas Kalathuveettil, Shared-Praxis as Christian Religious Education: The Catechetical Approach of Thomas H. Groome, (Bangalore, India: Kristu Jyoti Publications, 1992).