Considering Catechesis

A few years ago, I came across some arguments for reintroducing catechesis as a way of learning the Christian faith. Catechesis is a form of instruction most often used in the preparation for baptism or confirmation and it is usually conducted using a simple question-and-answer method based upon a set of questions and answers known as a catechism. The Church of England’s Catechism (in the Book of Common Prayer) begins with the question, “What is your name?” to which the catechumen (the student) answers the catechist (teacher), “Lucinda” or “Lionel” or whatever their name is (obviously). The second question is “Who gave you this name?” and there is a set answer: “My Godfathers and Godmothers in my Baptism; wherein I was made a member of Christ, the child of God, and an inheritor of the kingdom of heaven.” The catechumen is supposed to know the answer by heart.

It is to be hoped that the “learning by heart” is also to be accompanied by some deeper understanding of the matters spoken, but the very process of learning the answers does its own work of education. Just like chanting our times-tables helps us with other mathematics later, so the repetition of theological truth lays foundations for faith.

As the New Year begins, I thought it would be worth us taking on a challenge over the year – to engage in some catechesis and so learn by heart (but also hopefully deeply) some of the key truths of the Christian faith. Some of this may be mere reinforcement of knowledge we already have. Some may prove to be new information.

It will work as follows:

• Every week (on Sunday morning), I shall post a question and answer on the church website.
• Church members* will get an email advising them that a new question has been published.
• They can log in to the website and read the question and answer (and associated Biblical texts) and spend some time committing it to memory through the week.
• The following Sunday, in our church meeting, I will ask the question, hoping for a perfect response from everyone present! (Or at least everyone present who has been engaging with the catechesis.)

Members can also make comments on the webpage, or ask questions which I or others can attempt to answer during the week, so this can truly be a community-learning activity.

I’ve got 53 questions, so it will last all year. I hope you will find it helpful.

Mark Dunstan

* By “members” I mean those who have registered with the church website. They will also need to set their communication preferences to receive notifications about “Bible Readings.” Those who have downloaded the free app can receive notifications that way, too.