Subjects for the catechetical work in the parish

INTRODUCTION

Christian education or teaching is also known in our Church History with the word “Catechism” which is the instruction of individuals in the faith and tradition of the Orthodox Church. The catechetical work was, from the beginning of Church life, one of the main duties of the Church itself. The Church had to teach her members (adults and children) as a mother teaches her children the art of life.

Catechumens were named those people who were instructed in Christian faith and were prepared for baptism and the full participation in Church life. Still we have in our Church this instruction, the catechism, not only for those who are going to be baptized, but this teaching tradition of the Church helps us, the Christians, to know deeper our faith and to live the real Spiritual life in the Church. So the Orthodox faith is handed down from generation to generation through teaching. Parents, clergy and teachers do this teaching and are called Catechists and they have to work hard to continue the same tradition. A catechist is called to be a vehicle of the Holy Spirit. He does not say his own thoughts, his own ideas, and his own points of view. He expresses what Jesus Christ teaches. He is open to accept what Holy Spirit says, because He is the source of all wisdom and goodness.

The Orthodox teaching always stresses the spiritual messages of the Holy Bible, the doctrinal truths expressed through Church Tradition, the biblical texts and the Church Fathers’ teaching. Especially the Orthodox Liturgical services and the Feasts are always “training school” for the believers, and the source for a genuine instruction. We, today, are heirs of such teaching tradition and try to keep this experience of Christian education more than 2000 years.

Here in our attempts to assist catechists in their teaching work we prepared and present this series of material with subjects concerning the “Orthodox Christian Catechesis” as an effort of the whole Community in the Orthodox Parishes.

For this work the catechists dealing with teaching adults and young children can find more help in the subjects of the manuals: “Material for Mothers Unions’ Meetings” and “Teaching subjects on Orthodox Christian Life”. In the present manual we are dealing with the catechetical work in the Parishes, put some stress on the children’s Christian guidance and on the personality and the work that a catechist does. He can use the materials of these manuals according to the age of people he has in front of him.

E.G

     

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