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The School of Catechization at
Moscow Saint Philaret Orthodox-Christian
Institute
Priest Georgi Kochetkov
Possible system of catechization in the Russian
Orthodox Church
in the contemporary conditions.
3-d edition, corrected and revised.
Moscow 1997
ISBN 5-89100-007-5
c Priest Georgi Kochetkov
1-st edition - in the magazine "Pravoslavnaya
Obschina" N3 (3-1991)
2-d edition, corrected, M., MVPHSH, 1994
Contents
Possible system of catechization in the Russian
Orthodox Church in the contemporary conditions.
Appendix 1. Catechization on the stage of
enlightenment.
Appendix 2. Sacramentology of the newly enlightened.
Appendix 3. Catechetical literature. Fictional
literature
Possible system of catechization in the Russian
Orthodox Church in the contemporary conditions.
1. The Church possesses the great experience
of the complete catechization i.e. the successive
and integral, usually oral,
instruction in the bases of the Orthodox
Christian faith and life, which at the present
time, unfortunately, remains almost utterly
forgotten.
2. Life requires the restoration of the institute
of the church catechization. Every Christian
normally must go through the
complete catechization that he could be called
"faithful" i.e. the "full"
member of the Church. To reach this goal
we need both to
actualize the past and accumulate and generalize
the contemporary experience.
3. The normal complete catechization can
only be led towards the adult people beginning
usually with 20-21 years of age.
Before that, all Christian believers both
not baptized and baptized but not partaking
may be considered as somehow passing the
first stages of catechization.
4. The first stage of catechization begins
with the moment when the conscious person
according to his faith in Jesus as Christ
becomes a Christian, i.e. the member of the
Church, however, not full as he is not participating
in its sacraments of faith and life.
In the very ordinary case i.e. when the person
is not baptized, it begins with the moment
when he, for example, after two or
three general, introductory, missionary -
precatechetical (called sometimes "open")
meetings feels ready to express his personal,
sincere and responsible desire to be baptized,
having personally realized and in the Holy
Spirit in front of people confessed
(acknowledged) his belief in one, living,
personal God - the Creator of the world and
our Heavenly Father, and in the Son of
God Jesus Christ as his and all the people's
Saviour.
Then a priest or a bishop, or as a last resort
some other member of the Church, for example,
the responsible catechizer, may
read upon him the following ancient prayer
of the first catechization, during which
"the name is being given to him".
The priest makes the sign of the cross over
him and says: "Blessed art Thou, O Lord
God, Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
Who from all the nations electeth His special
people - zealots of the good deeds! Bless
also this Thy servant (name) who hast
come to Thy Holy Church, bless him and open
his eyes to understand Thy marvellous miracles,
open his ears to hear Thy divine
words, and number him with the catechumens
of Thy people that opportunely might he become
worthy of the font of revival, the
cloths of imperishableness! (Again makes
the sign of the cross over him, writes down
his name among the other
catechumens of the first stage, and prays
further): Thou, O Master, hast sent the Salvation
into the world - Thy Holy Word
that to fill every one with Thy good understanding.
Thou hast withdrawn the soul of Thy servant
from evil, Thou enlighten him
and instruct him in hallowing Thy Christ,
and allow not any evil spirit to have its
dwelling in him for Thou art the one deliverer
of
our kin and unto Thee we ascribe glory and
thanksgiving, now and ever and unto ages
of ages! Amen".
If, however, the not baptized person is too
young, he may become a catechumen by the
will of his Christian parents (or at least
one of them). For this purpose there is a
special ritual text for mother and, what
is even more important, for her infant "on
the
40-th day after birth", which can be
used in this case till the heading "as
the infant is baptized". Every catechumen
receives the
full right to enter the temple and listen
to the readings of the Holy Scriptures, be
present at all the services except those
where
faithful participate in sacraments (liturgy
of faithful, baptism, confession-repentance,
marriage-wedding ceremonies, receiving
extreme unction etc).
5. The goal of the first stage of catechization
is to give the person an opportunity to check
the rightness of his choice and, on
the other hand, the Church to check the sincerity
and successiveness of the Christian intentions
of the catechumen (by his spirit
and the fruits of his attitude towards God,
himself, and his neighbours).
6. The first catechization is based on the
living faith in God and man and on the personal
repentance - self-recognition as a
sinner. It teaches to take and carry one's
cross, rejecting all that one possesses.
For that purpose the catechumen ought to
do
four basic things in his Christian life:
a) Getting acquainted with the canon of books
of the Holy Scriptures, first of all, read
the synoptic (first three) Gospels,
making clear all internal and external questions
through the comparison with the personal
aspirations, experience and intuition.
Reading should become the honest and scrupulous
penetration and exploration. All questions
may be clarified by the
catechumens themselves as they are growing
and advancing in spirit, their future godfathers
and godmothers or other Christians,
but mainly by their preceptors and teachers
in the church - catechizers which usually
are not less than two in the group of 15-20
catechumens.
b) As the "law of prayer" or the
personal rule of prayer should be taken the
following. Pray every day that not a single
day of
life would have gone past fruitless before
God and neighbours. For that purpose one
may and even should use, first of all, the
so
called "free prayer" with one's
own words not constrained by any conditions
of time and place. These words may seem (and
be) very primitive, but it is not bad for
the beginner. It is important not to get
used to the wide spread now among the Christians
spiritual consumptionism and learn to distinguish
which prayer is coming up only "to the
ceiling", i.e. "to the first heaven",
which
one - "to the second heaven" i.e.
making only a magical effect, and which one
- "to the third heaven" i.e. to
the God's dwelling
bringing a respective fruit - the personal
answer of God in heart changing not only
the mood, but also the internal and external
life of the catechumens. Of the prayers accepted
by the Church one can regularly use Psalter
(in Russian or in Slavonic).
c) As frequently and regularly as possible
visit in temples the church i.e. the meeting
of Christians for purposes of prayer and
learning. Taking into consideration, however,
that all our today's worship is based on
participation in it only the full members
of
the Church, we can recommend to be in the
church at synaxises (vespers, matins, liturgy
of catechumens etc) as well as before
and after the worship or "on its background"
in order to avoid the alienation from it
by the just mentioned reason. Along with
that other kinds of communication with Christians
are possible including meetings at home.
d) Striving towards the church rule "of
goodness and beauty" improve oneself
in moral respect, including self-improvement
up to
the feeling of the limit of one's natural,
yet not filled with grace human powers. To
do it, one has to actualize, first of all,
one's
conscience as the voice of God in man even
if that conscience is still badly ill and
distorted, second - the knowledge of the
moral experience common to all mankind, wherever
it is taken from if only one's heart accepts
it, third, biblical experience
especially of the Old Testament (by help
of such book as Parables and Wisdom of Solomon,
Wisdom of Jesus son of Sirah;
Genesis, Exodus, Deuteronomy - only in their
ethical part, of course, Isaia and 2-3 minor
prophets). Here also the personal
fasting of repentance (not according to the
church order yet) is pertinent as well as
the deeds of charity glorifying love and
sympathy to all needy neighbours as bearers
of the image of God.
7. If the person already has an experience
close to catechetical of the first stage,
for example, when catechizing those who
already believe long or converting into Christianity
a practicing Jew or Moslem the first stage
may be shortened to the minimum.
But if this experience comes to somebody
with a great labour it can be extended up
to one year or even longer especially if
the
catechumen shows serious moral failures (akin
to the ethical "mortal sins" of
the Old Testament).
In the ancient church the usual term of catechizing
an adult person from pagans was two-three
years, and if from a Christian
family - from infancy (40-th day) to 20-25
years of age. Nevertheless, as one should
not hurry with baptism one should also not
linger with it. The Church always condemned
both. It must be done "opportunely",
on the time defined by the will of God i.e.
when the person is prepared to it, when he
has matured to be baptized, felt grace and
started to become stronger in it bringing
appropriate fruits in his faith and life.
8. Passing over to the second catechization
(the 2-d stage of catechization - enlightenment)
must also be linked with prayer.
When in response to the catechumen's desire
to be baptized the Church through its representatives
including catechizers says:
"yes, this can be done!" the priest
may read "the prayer in behalf of the
one to become a catechumen" (according
to the Trebnik
- the book of prayers). The russified texts
of this prayer as well as all prayers and
ritual texts connected with catechization,
baptism and joining the Orthodox church or
reuniting with it can be found in the 2-d
issue of the series "Orthodox Worship.
Russified Texts". M., 1996. At the same
time three "prohibitory prayers against
the devil" can be added. These prayers
may be
repeated up to the catechumen's baptism (especially
it has to be done when the person feels the
influence of the evil spirits of
fear, despondency or heavy passions so widely
spread in our time).
9. If "the rule of faith" (like
a "creed") of the catechumen of
the first stage was brief and simple (it
could be expressed,
for example, by the following words: "I
believe in One Living Maker of the world
and of man - God, and in Jesus, anointed
by
the Spirit of God, who was resurrected by
God and made by Him the Saviour and Judge
of the whole world" (Act. 5:30-31),
"the rule of faith" of the catechumen
of the second stage is already not so simple.
It can be expressed, for example, this way:
"I believe in One Holy and Living God
- our Heavenly (Spiritual) Father and Maker
of the whole world: material, mental and
spiritual; and in His Pre-Eternal, Creative
and Only Begotten Word (Logos) that
through the Spirit and the Power of God appeared
into the world and was incarnate in the Son
of Man being born by the chaste
woman (Gal 4:4), Virgin Mary (Mariam), and
crucified by envy and inacceptance, but was
resurrected (risen) by the Love of
God and the Unity with the Father - Jesus
(Ieshua) from Nazareth, Who had been a God's
Prophet, strong in deed and word
(Luke 24:19), and the God's Son - the Anointed
One (Messiah-Christ) foreseen by the ancient
prophets and Who had become
the Judge of all the living and the dead
(Acts 10:42) and our One Lord - Liberator
from slavery to this world, lying in evil
(Gal
4:3, 9), and our Saviour mercifully forgiving
all sins to those who believe, repent and
are baptized in His name (Acts 10:43,
Mark 16:16); and in the Life Giving and Prophesizing
Holy Spirit - the Only Comforter (Paraklita)
Whom the Lord sends in His
stead into the world from our Father as the
certification of Fullness of our eternal
Life in the Heavenly Kingdom of God, and
the
Gift to His one, holy catholic (concilliar)
and apostolic Church, i.e. the world of God
and especially to all those who sincerely
love Him and truly trust in Him, and through
Him, by the grace of God, in the Personal
God and in the capability of any human
being to make conformity with God and become
like God".
10. In order this faith for the chosen for
the Enlightenment and catechized Christian
might become his spirit and life, and not
simply an abstract picture, he needs to endeavour
a serious effort. He may be helped in it
by his godfather or godmother or by
the catechizer, especially if it is a bishop,
a priest or a deacon, or by other catechumens
close to him together with whom it is
better to continue the catechization further.
11. During the second stage of catechization
catechumens are being imposed both former
and new requirements that become
possible only on this stage of their spiritual
way.
The concrete changes come to the following.
The Holy Scriptures depending on the current
theme (Appendix 1) are to be read according
to the special recommendation,
which defines the volume and the method of
reading.
The catechumen has not to give up his private
prayers, but the all-Church prayers should
also be used now according as they
are being explained in the process of catechization.
Regular prayers in the temple have to become
now absolutely necessary: every catechumen
on the stage of enlightenment has to
visit the temple at least two times a week
- one time in the evening (not necessary
from the beginning to the end of the service)
and one time in the morning, better on Sunday
(from the beginning to the end of the liturgy
of catechumens). Catechumens now
are required as much as possible to participate
in services, listen seriously and attentively
and contemplate on what has been
heard, strive to join into the common church
prayer having put aside the personal one,
whose place is either out of the church
or, as formerly, before or after the service.
Moral work has to deepen. Violation of moral
requirements may now result in more serious
consequences up to the transferring
down to the first stage of catechization
or even the excommunication (however only
temporary and for the time much shorter
than in the similar cases with faithful).
12. And, at last, the compulsory weekly meetings
of catechumens become the most important
thing on the second stage of
catechization. These meetings may be held
in any suitable place even, in accordance
with the ancient tradition, in the temple's
premises, or in any other parochial and church
school facilities, or in catechumens homes
that catechizers could feel the style and
the spirit of their wards domestic life.
Meetings may be held at any time, but "remembering
the seventh day", it is desirable to
gather during the daytime that to have an
opportunity to go all together to the evening
service.
These meetings require discipline: their
skips are inadmissible; the presence of godfathers
and godmothers is desirable, every
one is preparing oneself in the volume offered
by the catechizer. As on the first stage
of catechization it was important to work
in
all four directions simultaneously and not
only in some particular one of them, so on
the second stage it is important to fulfill
all
the internal and external requirements together,
that the catechization would not degenerate
into a school or a simple study,
transmitting knowledge and having ceased
to be the spiritual process and action on
the preparatory stage of an adult person's
Christian life.
13. Godfathers and godmothers (sureties)
should become the principal helpers of catechizers.
They have to not only bring up
their future godsons and goddaughters, not
only present them to the Church, vouch for
them before God and Church, but also
help them through their spiritual "learning"
(Matt 28:19) especially at the days between
the meetings, as well as in the temple
and, in such questions that the catechumen
can trust only to him as to the closest spiritual
friend and father.
14. Catechetical meetings on the stage of
enlightenment should be held personally and
freely. They can be split into several
parts. First the catechizer can answer the
questions on the preceding theme, find out
the problems, which trouble his
catechumens, ask them how their life was
going during the period between the meetings.
Then he can start a catechetical
discussion (usually two during the week)
according to the plan (Appendix 1). If both
themes are discussed one after another
(which is highly undesirable) it is important
not to forget to make a small (15-20 minutes)
break during which catechumens may
organize a short repast.
While discussing the themes catechumens may
be allowed to make brief notes if only it
doesn't distract them too much from
perceiving the sense and the spirit of the
discussions themselves.
The total number of catechetical weeks planned
on the second stage is ten or if by some
reason it is necessary eleven (including
introductory and concluding meetings and
the confession for the whole life at the
end). Now the catechizer's prayer is necessary
before the start of every meeting and at
its end (better free i.e. with his own words
and short, but concerning if needed not only
all people together but somebody in particular
as well).
15. It is very important that catechumens
would have felt the spirit of community,
trust, openness, mutual aid and concern
towards the church with all its needs and
other catechumens as well as the clear understanding
of the ecclesiasticism of their
lives and the new stage of their joining
the church.
16. All catechization corresponds to the
stay "in the darkness where God"
(Is 20:21) and under the cover of law. That
means
the law, leading the catechumen as a spiritual
child towards Christ, must still remain the
basic principle of his life, which is similar
to the life of a novice before taking the
monastic vows. This is also the period of
building up and testing the righteousness
of the
catechumen's life.
All mentioned above suggests that the catechumens
of the first and second stages can perceive
rather kerigma than dogma,
ethical work rather than ascetics, rituals
rather than sacraments. To make a clear distinction
between these things is one of
the main tasks of the catechizers. Without
it even a very well taught Christian whatever
position in the church he might occupy
cannot carry the catechetical service that
to avoid imposing upon people "burdens
heavy and unbearable".
17. In the normal case the completion of
the second stage of catechization should
be followed by the baptism i.e. the
culmination point of the whole sacrament
of Enlightenment as the process including
four liturgical sacraments (personal
Repentance, Chrismation and Eucharist in
the Church) and the sacrament of Word (full
catechization in three stages). For that
purpose before the baptism or on the last
catechetical meeting the chosen should say
the so called "fourth prayer" concluding
the process of their spiritual struggling
with the devil and make "the rite of
the renunciation of Satan and joining with
Christ",
which includes personal confession of the
Creed and is "the vow of Baptism".
At the same time the catechumens may bring
their
personal repentance. Those of them who are
baptized may read the Penitential Canon to
our Lord Jesus Christ. Here the
concluding conversation and the confession
"for the whole life" are possible.
While being baptized catechumens should not
only
understand what is going on, but also with
all their heart participate in it. It is
good for them to read right after the Baptism
the
31-st psalm (by heart in Russian if a Russian
is baptized) or to say a free prayer - the
confession of faith and the thanksgiving.
On the same or the next day the newly baptized
"Infants In Christ" need to come
and start participating (serving) in the
Eucharist, thus, actualizing in life the
grace of "the royal priesthood"
(1Pet 2:4-10).
It is good to do it as in the old times on
Easter, Christmas, Epiphany or any other
day when "As many as have been baptized
into Christ:" is to be sang instead
of Trisagon. The Dormition of the Mother
of God is also appropriate for it as well
as any "day
of God" - "little Easter"
on any Sunday. The baptism on any other day
is also not prohibited if only the liturgy
of faithful can be
served after it.
After the joint communion of all the people
including godfathers, godmothers and catechizers
the Baptism may be celebrated at
the spiritual "repast of Love"
(agapa) that starts "a liturgy after
the Liturgy". People may sing, pray,
and freely communicate at it
and bring their spiritual offerings - "prosfory".
This may well take the whole day and the
people should be prepared to it
beforehand.
18. Baptism and Communion begin the concluding
stage of catechization - the brief sacramentology
(or as it was called formerly
mysteriology, in Greek mistagogia - the introduction
in sacraments), passing through which "the
infants in Christ" have to firmly
rise "on their feet" and become
"faithful" i.e. full members of
the Church, already not infants spiritually
though not quite grown
ups yet.
19. The sacramentology usually lasts for
one week (for the newly baptized it is their
"bright week"). All of it should
be as much
as possible freed from any kind of work and
household business. All the catechumens ought
to partake every day. It is clear
that if there are no great and obvious sins
(what usually does not happen after the Baptism
and may not happen!) it is possible to
partake without confession, however, "testing
oneself" any way and with the feeling
of repentance and one's unworthiness.
If it is physically difficult for some of
the newly baptized to be in the temple in
the course of the whole service, they may
start the
Eucharist a little later this week, with
the reading of the Holy Scriptures or even
with the liturgy of faithful.
The sacramentology can serve as a preparation
for the communion during this period and
it includes except the Eucharistic
services also the sermons and communions,
daily (or as a very last resort every second
day, but then in a doubled volume)
sacramentologic meetings and discussions
according to the plan (the foundations of
the Christian dogmatics, sacramentology,
ascetics and mystics, see Appendix 2), personal
prayer that may be taken also from the Prayer-book
and the appropriate
spiritual reading. Thus, for this week the
catechumens should read In, Acts, 1Pet, ritual
texts of the liturgy of faithful and, what
is very desirable, Gal, Iak and the book
"For the Life of the World" by
Fr. Alexander Shmeman. They can also read
the book
of the archbishop Pavel of Finland "How
We Believe".
20.It is very important not to forget that
beyond the sacramental week completing "on
the 8-th day" in the general communion
(and if possible the appropriate rites) and,
so to speak, "a farewell party",
the catechumens should take the general rule
of
our church: while trying to partake weekly,
come in the church every time before that,
however only for the common
confession, read a definite rule (at least
the Penitential Canon and the payers before
the communion), endeavour always to be at
the evening services before the personal
confession and communion in the temple, follow
the fasts generally accepted in the
church etc.
It is especially important as the Baptism
and sacramentology usually are followed by
the period called "wilderness"
when heavy
temptations concerning the new life and the
choice of the personal way may come, when,
akin to Christ, many false ways of
salvation will be offered, which every one,
after the example of Christ, should reject
before coming out for serving "by the
gift
that has been received" (1 Pet 4:10).
And the true and full Christianity is indeed
the efficacious Love towards God and
neighbours, which means life as service.
We can recommend the special list of the
spiritual literature to help in passing one's
spiritual way during the first time after
the
catechization (see Appendix 3G 2 - 3 as well
as the magazine "Pravoslavnaya Obschina"
N3, 1991).
21. All we have already said, however, concerns
the normal cases of catechization and the
so-called "normal catechumens"
i.e.
those who have come to God and to the Son
of God and our Lord Jesus Christ as the result
of their conscious and sensible
choice, and being not baptized yet. In spite
of the fact that such cases become now more
and more frequent they still don't
constitute the majority. Usually for 70-80
% we have to deal with the "special
catechumens" i.e. with the already baptized
and
sometimes even regularly partaking in the
church, or with the people who by some reason
had once moved away from the
church, or with those who believe in Christ,
but do not know which church to join, or
with juveniles, or with the people seriously
ill, or old, or dying etc. We cannot look
into all these cases here (they are systematically
analysed in my work "Sacral
Introduction in the Orthodox Catechism"),
however we shall touch on some of them.
First of all, what shall we do with the already
baptized? They most frequently can be split
into two groups: a) partaking
regularly, b) not partaking or partaking
only in virtue of external circumstances
or very rarely (3-4 times a year and rarer).
If the baptized person was not partaking
because of the absence or loss of his faith
in God, and having realized that
unbelief openly acknowledged and spread it,
or if the person didn't know the grace of
the Holy Spirit that unambiguously
reflected upon his life only "according
to the elements of the world, and not according
to Christ" i.e. in passions and unrepented
mortal sins, or in a conscious conversion
into another faith (heresy) or religion including
some of Eastern or occult like
theosophy, antroposophy, yoga, Buddhism etc;
such a person must be reunited with the Church
if not through the Baptism then
through the Repentance with making the sacrament
of the Holy Chrismation (in accordance with
the rite of St. Methodius of
Constantinople from the Big Trebnik (the
book of prayers)) with reading the special
prayers instead of the "prohibiting"
and
"purifying" ones and with the prayers
of the sacrament itself (except the formulae
"the seal of the Holy Spirit. Amen").
But if the person was not partaking, however
having not completely lost and not betrayed
his faith in one true God
though, may be, in no way expressing it in
the church and doubting i.e. when his baptism
gave at least some minimal fruits in his
life; such a person has to prepare only for
the repentance "for the whole life".
The most difficult case is with those who
do partake. If the person's communion was
for him "occasional" so to speak,
he
should better temporarily for the period
of the first and second stages of catechization
discontinue it since the catechization for
such people usually appears to be their first
serious fasting i.e. a preparation to the
first personal, full and, as much as possible,
conscious participation in sacraments. But
if the person was baptized (including from
childhood) and now according to the
internal need and regularly i.e. more frequently
than 3-4 times a year participates in the
Eucharist and comes for the
catechization only to "fulfill"
the sacrament of his baptism (in the wide
and full sense) it is quite impossible to
tear him away from
a sacramental church life since a Christian
cannot go back, but only further on and further
up.
If such Christians will have any doubts whether
they need the catechization at all they should
be explained that it is needed to all
adult Christians, since catechization is
a certain spiritual integrity, integral experience
that is very difficult (though possible)
to
receive by one's own, the more so for only
one year. Of course it is better if the priest
whom such a person counts his confessor
becomes his catechizer. But if the confessor
is blessing to conduct the catechization
of his ward by other catechizers (and
without such a blessing it is not recommended
to admit the person having a confessor) then
every time it should be considered
separately and personally how he can fulfill
the experience of the pre-catechization,
how - the experience of the catechization,
and how - the experience of the enlightenment
and sacramentology. In this case we often
have to make a certain compromise,
the admissible degree of which should be
also prompted by the conscience of the catechumen
himself. It means that not denying
already accumulated experience of the church
prayer, sacramental and ascetical life as
well the dogmatic knowledge the stress
should be made upon fulfilling in by the
integral experience of pre-catechitization,
catechization, enlightenment and
sacramentology. The full catechization of
a person under 20 years of age in our conditions
is usually impossible. Until that age a
Christian can only cognize an experience
approximately equal to the pre-catechetical
and catechetical and only partially to that
of enlightenment and sacramentology. But
in the number of cases not only godfathers
and godmothers, but catechizers as well
have to deal with such people especially
if in the virtue of circumstances they are
to be urgently baptized. Of course, this
work is
possible only with children not younger than
three years of age (defined by St. Gregory
the Theologian), for otherwise, the
catechization can concern not the child himself,
but rather his parents (however one) and
godfathers and godmothers.
22. In the cases of the extreme necessity
of baptizing not infants without any catechization
(in the cases of illness, serious
danger of death etc) the remaining requirements
are the faith and repentance of the person
who is going to be baptized and
keeping him the look of a human being i.e.
the image of God. If the person cannot be
called a human being or if he has already
lost his consciousness and cannot speak for
himself whether he wants to be baptized in
order to be with God in Christ and the
Holly Spirit, and if he hasn't had time to
reveal his will to his neighbours in this
regard before, the Baptism is inadmissible
in the
avoidance of the spiritual violence. In the
case of recovery, surmounting a danger etc
the person baptized "clinically"
(i.e. on the
illness-bed) needs "opportunely"
to go through the fulfillment of the sacrament
including a feasible catechization.
23.The fulfillment of the sacrament may concern
also that or another part of the liturgical
rite of the sacrament of Enlightenment
including even the sacraments of Chrismation
and Communion especially if the Baptism was
made in an extreme situation by the
Christian who had not been a presbyter or
a bishop (but necessarily the full member
of the church, equally man or woman in
virtue of the "royal priesthood").
In the case of need of such a "lay"
Baptism the following rite may be recommended:
the
entrance prayers from "O Heavenly King"
to "Our Father", the Creed, baptizing
in the water or a similar matter through
the
thrice-repeated immersion, pouring or anointing
with proclaiming the name of the baptized
person and announcing what is
happening according to the formulae: "(Name)
is baptized in the name of the Father, and
the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen",
concluding prayer of thanksgiving (31-st
psalm or "by one's own words" and
(or) singing "As many as have been baptized
into
Christ").
24. The catechization in special cases may
have also other forms including primarily
the correspondence tuition. All of them,
however, require special experience, personal
working ups and recommendations.
APPENDIX 1.
Catechization on the stage of enlightenment.
Catechumens on the stage of enlightenment
are those who directly prepare themselves
for the sacrament of the Enlightenment -
Baptism, which means that they have already
consciously come to the faith in God and
our Lord Jesus Christ, already started
their Christian life in repentance, can freely
pray to God, and have gotten acquainted with
the Holy Scriptures especially with the
books of parables and wisdom of Solomon and
Jesus, the son of Sirah, the books of Genesis,
Exodus and Deuteronomy, and
what is the most important with the synoptic
Gospels - according to Matthew, Mark and
Luke.
Themes of the catechetical discussions.
Introduction. Main requirement: two times
a week - catechetical meetings; also two
times a week come in the temple - for the
liturgy of catechumens and matins or vespers;
reading in accordance with the program; personal
prayer and ethical work upon
oneself.
Discussion on the mysticism of the "divine
darkness" - Exodus 20:18-21 (see "Pravoslavnaja
Obschina", N 39, pp. 33-44).
The prayer over the catechumens and the three
"prohibitory" prayers or corresponding
to them three "propitiatory" ("purifying")
prayers (rite of St. Methodius of Constantinople
from the Big Trebnik).
1.God and world. Creation of the world. (Gen.
1:1-25).
2. Divine Revelation and Knowledge in Faith,
Hope
and Love. The Nicene Creed, its sense and
meaning.
(The Creed must be learned by heart in
Church-Slavonic as well as its translation
into Russian).
3. God and man. Creation of man. The first,
pre-historical Testament of God with Adam.
(Gen.
1:26-2:25).
4. The Holy Scriptures and the Holy Tradition
of the
Church, its scriptures and traditions. (Archpriest
Alexander Men'. How To Read The Bible.
Introduction and prologue - to the chapter
3 of
Genesis).
5. Evil and sin, good and law. The Fall.
Beginning of
the history of the humankind. (Gen. 3-11).
6. Old Testament of God with men (and the
following
four Testaments - with Noah, Abraham, Isaac
and
Jacob, Moses, David). Sense and meaning of
the law
as a "schoolmaster to lead us to Christ"
(measuring of
the width of the way) and of "10 commandments"
as
the principal Old Testament law of relations
with one
God and neighbours among His people. Essence
and
meaning of prophets and main prophecies -
"messianic
places" of the Holy Scriptures of the
Old Testament.
(Genesis to the end, especially chapters
12-35; Exodus
especially 19-24 including 20:2-17 - by heart;
Exodus
especially 40-62; making "the personal"
10 ethical
commandments).
7.First, preparatory period in the life of
Jesus - the
Son of Man and the Son of God: Epiphany (Nativity
and Baptism with the following Temptation).
(Mark.
1:1-13, Matt. 1:1-4; 11; Luke 1:1-4; 13,
including
2:14 - by heart).
8. Four Gospels, especially "synoptic"
ones. Jesus' Life
on earth - the "fulfillment" of
the law and prophets. His
internal and external imitation. (C.C. Dodd,
The
Founder of Christianity. M., 1997; archpriest
Alexander Men'. The Son of Man; beginning
of
"personal" strict repentance and
fasting).
9. Second, evangelical stage of the life
of Jesus - the
Son of Man and the Son of God: evangelic
teaching
before Entering Jerusalem and its centre
- "the
Beatitudes" and the Lord's prayer "Our
Father". (Matt.
5-7 The Sermon On the Mount, including 5:3-12
and
6:9-13 - by heart, chapters 8-9 - about 10
miracles,
10 - about sending the apostles, 12 and 23
- words to
Pharisees, 13 - parables of the Heavenly
Kingdom, 18
- ecclesiastical admonitions).
10. On the participation of catechumens on
the stage of
enlightenment in "synaxis". Basic
part and specific
elements of the liturgy of catechumens, vespers,
matins). Introduction in the sacrament of
Enlightenment
- sacraments of Repentance, Baptism, Chrismation
and
Communion (the very general sense of them
and
practical advises for preparation and participating
in
them); the sacrament of Word. ("All
night vigil.
Liturgy"; Orthodox Worship. Russified
texts of
vespers, matins and liturgy of St. John Chrisostom.
Issue 1, edition 2. M., 1997 - except the
liturgy of
faithful, in which catechumens usually don't
participate;
Ps. 31 - by heart, better in Russian).
11. Third, redeeming and saving stage in
the life of
Jesus - the Son of Man and the Son of God:
from the
Entrance in Jerusalem to the Ascension. Christ
- the
new Passover. Concluding by Christ - the
new Adam
- the New Testament with God. (Matt. 26-28,
Mark.
14-16, Luke 22-24, Acts 1).
12. Short review and characterization of
the
contemporary relations between Christianity
and the
basic existing religions: Judaism, Islam,
Buddhism and
Hinduism. Other modern widespread non-Christian
teachings and sects (by the questions of
catechumens).
(Appropriate articles in encyclopedias and
reference
books).
13. Fulfillment of the promising - coming
into force of
the New Testament: Pentecost and the Descent
of the
Holy Spirit. Thrice repeated appearing of
God. The
Birth of the Church - the new nation and
the world of
God. (Act 2).
14. The Church and churches in history: Orthodoxy
and other Christian confessions (briefly).
The Church
and human individuality, the Church and society.
The
Church and the state in our country, legislation
of the
freedom of worship and its realization. Contemporary
situation and life of the autocephalous Orthodox
churches, especially the Russian Orthodox
Church. The
role and the place of one's own diocese and
parish -
community in the Church and in the world.
(Appropriate articles in encyclopedias and
reference
books).
15. The Revelation about the end of the human
history.
Fulfillment of the New Testament (the last
metahistorical Testament): Second Coming
of Christ,
general Resurrection and Judgement, the fullness
of the
Life eternal. (Matt. 24-25, Luke 21, Mark.
13).
16. Life of the full and truly baptized members
of the
Church. Two main directions: on one hand,
the
constant witnessing of our Lord and God Jesus
Christ
by the Holy Spirit and the constant self-sanctification
(through the giving oneself up to God, and
purification),
and the world-sanctification (of the nature
and the
society), and, on the other hand, greater
and greater
orientation towards the metahistorical Testament
and
the everlasting perfection in Love and Freedom
according to the image of the Heavenly Father,
and
consequently the more and more complete
transfiguration (rise and enlightenment)
of oneself and
of the world (all creation). (Bishop Michael
Gribanovski. Letters. // PO NN 24-25).
Conclusion. Meeting of prayer and repentance
and discussion: the Creed (those who are
going to be baptized and all the
people pronounce it together) and the commandments
of Moses; Reading of the Penitential Canon
in Russian and every one's
personal penitential prayers (kneeling down);
evangelic "Beatitudes" and "Our
Father"; personal conversation with
sureties and
catechumens (about results, problems, wishes
and perspectives including about the mutual
help and service). (Collection: On the
Sacrament of Baptism. M., 1990 and Before
Confession. M.,1996). Separately the minister
may organize the conclusion of the
catechetical rites (from the "4-th prayer"
to the end) and making the confession "for
the whole life".
APPENDIX 2.
Sacramentology of the newly enlightened.
This is the very short usually seven days'
stage of catechization concluding the process
of Enlightenment-Baptism in its wide and
full sense. It assumes daily Eucharistic
services and communions in the course of
this whole "bright week", and after
the
communions - meetings and communication in
prayer at "the repast of love"
and the spiritual sacramentological (mistagogic)
discussions on the following themes.
Introduction. The One sacrament of the Church
- life in God according to the personal faith
in Christ. Sacraments and rituals of
the Church, and the God's Mysteries. Sacraments
of faith of the Church and of its full members
("faithful") and the sacraments
of
the Church life. Action and process. Structure
("the normal") of sacraments, their
gifts and fruits.
1. The sacrament of the Church faith in one
God - the
Holy Trinity - trinitology; "in the
name of the Father
and the Son and the Holy Spirit". Faith
in the good and
saving Work of God, through Christ and in
the Holy
Spirit. Monarchism (dynamic and modalistic).
Subordinationism and monarchy. The theory
of "the
double Word" and the new Nicene theology
of the
Cappadocian fathers; "oneness in essence".
Teaching
of St. Georgi Palamas on the "non-created
divine
energies" (on the "nature of the
Tabor Light").
2. The sacrament of the Church life in one
God as in
Light - the Enlightenment (through learning
and
Repentance, Baptism, Chrismation and
Joining-Communion). "Righteousness,
peace and joy
in the Holy Spirit" through Christ -
the grain of the
Kingdom of God in our midst (inside and around).
3. The sacrament of the Church faith in the
God-Man
Christ - Christology. Appolinarianism, Nestorianism,
Monophysitism and Monophyletism. Putting
on Christ.
4. The sacrament of the Church life in the
Christ
Baptism (through water). Beginning of man's
knowledge and revelation to him of the Son
of God,
Jesus Christ
5. The sacrament of the Church faith in the
Holy Spirit
- pneumatology. Macedonianism. Putting on
the Holy
Spirit.
6. The sacrament of the Church life in the
Anointment
of the Holy Spirit (through the chrismation
by the holy
ointment or laying hands). Beginning of man's
knowledge and revelation to him of the Holy
Spirit.
7. The sacrament of the Church faith in Church
-
ecclesiology. Church as the God-mankind -
the Body
of Christ that is living in this world, but
is not of this
world. Church as the whole world of God,
which is
"very good (i.e. full of goodness and
beauty)". The
Church as a community (meeting and communication
in
the Word of God). The sacrament of Word.
The
danger of deification and absolutization
of the Church
and its structures on one hand, and relativisation
of the
Church and its forms of life as only human,
on the
other. Dogmatization of one of the canonical
"icons" of
the Church in Catholicism ("Papism"
as an external
ecclesiasticism). "Micropapism"
(as a
non-ecclesiasticism) of Protestantism and
its
canonization of the doctrine of the Church.
8. The sacrament of the Church life in Church
in
Thanksgiving (Eucharist) for Jesus Christ
(through the
communion i.e. joining His Body in Blood
in the form
of Bread and Wine). Liturgy ("common
service") as
the sacrament of life of God-mankind through
the
gathering with Christ and in Christ.
9. The sacrament of the Church faith in Salvation
of
every one who is a member of the Church -
soteriology (so called "subjective").
Impossibility of
legislative and juridical approaches to the
salvation of a
person in the Church. No one can be saved
by one's
own (ecclesiasticism, i.e. god-mankindness
and
universality of the process of salvation).
Salvation of
the past, of the present and of the future
("may not
without us they reach perfection").
10. The sacrament of the Church life and
of some of
its members in serving the Church itself
(through the
establishing functional servants of the Church
on the
Eucharist - its presbyters, i.e. elders-ministers
of
sacraments, bishops, i.e. guardians-overseers,
and
deacons, i.e. servants to material and corporal
needs). Internal sermon. Seniority and hierarchy
in
the Church. Danger of clericalism.
11. The sacrament of the Church faith in
Man, his
holiness and conformability with God - personal
anthropology (agiology). God-manly ascetics
as the
beginning of the "foreseeing of the
Kingdom of God"
by means of the constant endeavouring efforts
(however, without any violence) towards the
embodiment of the spiritual principles of
the Christian
life in the Church (measuring of the length
of the way).
Distinguishing the spirit and the flesh (the
body and the
soul) in the human being. Dihothomy and trihothomy.
Ascetical discipline and exercises as means
for
harmonization of the internal and external
life of the
Christian, his spirit, soul and body. Meekness,
patience
and humility, obedience, ungreediness and
chastity.
Transcendental mystics of the special kind
of the
"intelligent doing" in Jesus' prayer.
12. The sacrament of the Church life in Repentance
(through the confession, i.e. recognition
of one's
sinfulness and the concrete sins). Two kinds
of sins (a
sin to death and a sin not to death), and
the
confession ("the bath of the post-existence",
i.e. the
spiritual revival and the further spiritual
"change of
mind" and the improvement of life including
by means
of confession). Mortal sins of the Old Testament
(ethical) and of the New Testament (ascetical
and
spiritually - mystical) and their correlation.
13. The sacrament of the Church faith in
Man, his unity
and perfection in Love and Freedom, i.e.
his
God-likeness, - personified anthropology.
Distinguishing of face (hypostasis of soul
and body),
artistically-poetical and psychological type,
iconically-ideal image and person (spiritual
prototype -
human protoreality).
14. The sacrament of the life of the Church
and its
members in Marriage (through the wedding
ceremony on the Eucharist). Image of the
unity of
Christ, the Bridegroom, with His pure Bride,
the
Church. "By glory and honour".
Christian martyrdom
as the fruit of the Church Love for Christ.
15. The sacrament of the Church faith in
the final
revelation of the Fullness of Life of the
age to come -
eschatology. From the First to the Second
Coming of
Christ: parusia - His Presence. Sanctification
and
transfiguration of man and the world. Waiting
(i.e.
active expectation) for the resurrection
of the dead.
Revelation and reality of Christian experience
of
Paradise and Hell on earth. Apocalyptics
- struggle for
the worthy end of history.
16. The sacrament of life of the Church and
some of
its members in the healing and saving Sanctification
(through the extreme unction and anointment
with the
holy oil and the remission of sins). Struggle
with the
illnesses of flesh and spirit and the human
death as the
last manifestation of evil and untruth of
this world.
Conclusion. [Introduction in Sacramentology
(i.e. mystics). Christian mystical experience
of the Heavenly Kingdom of God, i.e.
personified revelation and knowledge of the
mysteries of God and its place in the Church
(measuring the height of the way). The
Life Eternal - in knowledge through the Holy
Spirit of "the one true God and Jesus
Christ sent by Him". Knowing God and
seeing God. The synergy of God and man and
the Mystery of his deification. The mystery
of the spiritual Man's Creativity in
Love and "Freedom of glory of the sons
of God". God - "Everything in All";
"New Heaven and New Earth".]
Witnessing the Truth "from the fullness
of heart" - the mission of the Church
and of every single person in Christ. Readiness
to
meet the Lord "face to face". "Who
shall separate us from the Love of Christ:"
(Rom. 8:35-39).
On the 8-th day - rites "of the 8-th
day". Going into the spiritual "wilderness"
- time of 40-days temptation and final choice
before coming out for one's service to God,
to people and to the world.
Another possible structure of the seven-day's
sacramental cycle.
1) Introduction.
2) Sacramentology (themes 2, 4, 6, 8).
3) Sacramentology (themes 10, 12, 14, 16).
4) Dogmatics (themes 1, 3, 5).
5) Dogmatics (themes 7, 9).
6) Agiology, ascetics and anthropology (themes
11, 13).
7) Eschatology (theme 15), introduction into
mystics and conclusion.
8) Going into the "forty - day's"
wilderness.
