The Story – Context for Catechesis

Posted on September 11th, 2008

In the catechumenate of the early Church, the early Church Fathers recounted the history of salvation (also known as “Salvation History“) to their audience (inquirers and catechumens) using the Bible and Church History.

We especially see this clearly in St. Augustine’s “First Catechetical Instruction” (In Latin: De Catechizandis Rudibus).  St. Augustine wrote this famous work to a deacon of Carthage named Deogratias in AD 405 as advice on what to present to an inquirer.  This story of Salvation History is referred to by Augustine as the narratio – the “narration”

Before we go on, let’s take a look at two quotations from the Church’s General Directory for Catechesis:

“In the patristic period properly, catechumenal formation was realized through Biblical catechesis, based on recounting the history of salvation” (#89)

“The historical character of the Christian message requires that catechesis attend to the following points … presentation of salvation history by means of Biblical catechesis so as to make known the ‘deeds and words’ with which God has revealed himself to man: the great stages of the Old Testament by which he prepared the journey of the Gospel; the life of Jesus, Son of God, born of the Virgin Mary who by his actions and teaching brought Revelation to completion; the history of the Church which transmits Revelation: this history, read within the perspective of faith, is a fundamental part of the context of catechesis” (#108)

In a nutshell, the catechist – in one RCIA session – tells the Story of God’s Family from before creation to the end of time.  In other words, the catechist begins with the eternal life of the Blessed Trinity and finishes with the Final Coming of Jesus Christ. [Click here to read the rest of this entry… » ]

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